Clark Kent Agent of SHIELD
by Dragonball X Avalon
Summary: In a bar in Metropolis Clark accepts a drink from a redhead. Turns out he shouldn't have. What happens next? Why he's forced to join SHIELD of course!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Takes place post season 2 of Smallville, pre-Avengers movie! Will contain some elements of Agents of SHIELD but minimal spoilers! Just my idea for if S.H.I.E.L.D. had been keeping it's eye on a certain Last Son of Krypton. Tell me what you think!**

"Can I buy you a drink?" The redhead asked as she sat down next to him.

"I can't say no to a beautiful woman Miss..."

"Just call me Natasha." She replied, handing him the drink. He grinned and nodded before downing the drink in one swallow. He felt himself grow lightheaded, and before he could find out what was happening he passed out.

"Good you're awake." She said, looking over to where the young man's eyes were flickering open, his legs and arms spread on either side of the wall.

"I guess. Now how about you tell me who you are. You're obviously not just someone passing through town, especially given the fact that you managed to capture me. I'm assuming there's no chance of me getting out of these restraints anytime soon?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"Not for the time being, and I didn't lie to you Mr. Kent. My name is Natasha, Natasha Romanov."

"The Black Widow." He muttered, and she nodded.

"Then I guess I should thank you for not trying to kill me for behaving like such a jackass. That rock screws with my head, but that's no excuse."

"Don't apologize. It was...interesting to say the very least." She replied and Clark couldn't help but grin. That was probably as close to a compliment as anyone got from Natasha Romanov.

"So, let's get to the big question. Why did you kidnap me?"

"I was following orders. We've been watching you for some time Mr. Kent, but we also knew that you wouldn't talk to any of us if we just showed up on your doorstep, so we had to wait until you were vulnerable."

"Then tell me Natasha, what is it that you want from me?"

"What we want Mr. Kent is for you to join S.H.I.E.L.D." A man said as he walked into the room. Clark had to hold back a smirk as he saw the man. He looked like Samuel L. Jackson with an eye patch.

"Thank you Agent Romanov, I'll handle it from here." He said, and she nodded before walking out, not giving Clark so much as a second glance.

"Well, you've made quite a name for yourself haven't you? Stopping a different meteor infected person almost every day and then running off to Metropolis where you proceed to screw over Morgan Edge."

"You seem to know a lot about me Mr..."

"Director actually. Director Fury." He replied, and Clark nodded.

"Okay Fury, now how about you answer a question for me. Why the hell would I join an organization that kidnapped me?"

"Because, if you don't things could get ugly. Someone might just start asking the wrong questions, and then who knows where your parents end up?"

"If you go anywhere near them, I promise you that I will kill you and bring everything you have built crashing down if it is the last thing I do." He replied coldly.

"Empty threat kid. We both know that as long as you're in those shackles you can't do anything to me. Now if you'll listen to my offer, maybe we can come to an agreement." He said, and Clark nodded in resignation. They both knew Fury was right. As long as he was exposed to kryptonite he couldn't do a thing; at least if he heard Fury out he may find a way out of his shackles.

"You've done a lot of good Mr. Kent. You've helped a lot of people with no real training. What I'd like to do is give you that training. I'd like to make you the hero that you can be."

"Don't bullshit me Fury. You want an Agent to follow your orders." Clark replied, and Fury smirked. The kid wasn't like everyone else. Most people would have accepted his offer at face value, but Clark obviously wasn't most people.

"Alright, you have a point. Yes, there are some times I'd like you to do some odd jobs for me. However, I would like to help you be a better hero Mr. Kent. You see, there's more to the world than just Smallville. There are threats that are a hundred times worse than what you've had to deal with, people that make your meteor infected look like a punk with a switchblade. Now I would like your help in dealing with those threats."

"Let's say for argument's sake, I lose all trace of sanity and agree to this. The way I see it, I don't need you you need me, so I would have a couple conditions."

"You do realize that your parents could-"

"Fury please stop with the threats. You know as well as I do that having me work under duress is not a smart move. You'd much rather I be willing to work with you." He replied, and Fury smiled again. The kid knew how to play the game, and he'd barely been playing it for half an hour. This may work out better than he thought.

"Alright Mr. Kent. What do you want?"

"First off, I want to see everything you know about me. I want to meet everyone who has access to that information. Then I want your word that my information stays private. The entire file gets redacted. I don't need someone on your pay roll selling out my secret to the highest bidder. Next, I want some sort of a cover story to explain all of this to my parents. They don't need to know that I'm working for the government. My dad would go ballistic. I want them protected without them realizing it. The same thing goes for Pete Ross and Chloe Sullivan. Also, Chloe dosen't get involved in S.H.I.E.L.D. or anything to do with the government or your people, officially or unofficialy."

"Now why would we be interested in a high school journalist?"

"Please stop with the stupid questions. If you've looked into me even half as much as I think you have you know that Chloe's a good hacker. She gets to keep her life. This is nonegotiable. Finally, I'm assuming that you're going to have me taught tradecraft? Fighting, spywork that sort of thing?"

"That will be part of your initial training yes. After you finish we'll focus on your powers, but first we need to teach you not to rely on them."

"Alright. Then I want Romanov. I know her reputation, and while I don't really trust anyone here wherever here is, I trust her the most."

"You expect me to give up my best agent for well over six months to teach you tradecraft?"

"If she's half as good as her reputation, it won't even be six months. Besides, if you want me to be the best, than I should learn from the best. I don't expect her to do this every day. I get that she has a job. So send on whatever missions you have to, and I'll take whatever time she cares to give me and learn. So tell me Director, Natasha, do we have a deal?" He asked, not even bothering to look towards the door as it opened admitting Fury's top agent.

"Well Agent Romanov, what do you think?" Fury asked as he turned to her. He could order her to train the kid, but it would be better if she did the job because she wanted to, and not because he ordered her to.

"I'll take the job. Just understand something Mr. Kent...this is not going to be fun, and if you ever give me anything less than your best you can forget about learning anything. Do we understand each other?"

"Perfectly, and please call me Clark. If we're going to be seeing a lot of each other I'd rather not be addressed like a mark."

"Fair enough. Now here's your first test. Get out of those restraints. You have one minute."

Clark ignored the pain of the restraints digging into his wrists and broke both his thumbs, feeling his hands sliding out of the cuffs, suddenly grateful for all the hours he had spent watching Chuck. Biting his lip to keep from cursing in pain he also broke both his ankles, freeing his legs and sending him falling to the floor. He felt his bones pop as his body healed, just before he rolled to his left barely avoiding a kick from Natasha.

"What the hell?"

"The first thing you have to learn is to not be complacent. Your opponents will not wait for your powers to kick in, they will not hesitate to strike when you are down. This is not some sort of a game like you're used to playing with your meteor freaks. The people you will be up against are dangerous, and will have no qualms about killing you. So strike first, strike fast and strike hard. Make sure they can't get up." She said, continuing to attack him as she spoke. Clark was managing to block or dodge her attacks, but it was a close thing. If it wasn't for his powers he would already have suffered broken bones at the very least, and death at the very worst. That's when her last words made sense to him.

"You're asking me to become a murderer." He asked as he lashed out with a kick towards her ead, which she ducked under with ease before responding with a punch of her own.

"No, and that's the first thing that you need to understand. Killing someone does not always make you a murderer. The world isn't so black and white as you would like to think."

"Oh no? Then what would you call it?"

"I call I doing what's necessary. Tell me, when I kill a terrorist does that make me a murderer?"

"No, you were just doing...what was necessary to stop him." He finished, feeling his legs swept out from under him before he fell on his back.

"Exactly. This isn't a game or a comic book where the hero can avoid killing Clark. This is a war. My job is to make you a soldier in that war, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. If you can't accept that, then there's no need for us to even start. I can't teach someone who is going to freeze up when things get ugly."

"Good thing I'm not going to freeze up then." He replied as he stood up, looking into Natasha's eyes. She held his gaze, seemingly searching for something as if she was trying to peer into his soul. Finally she nodded, and headed for the door.

"Are we done?" Clark asked in surprise, making Natasha laugh.

"No, we've only just begun. Now come on, I need to introduce you to a couple of people."

"Why?"

"You wanted to know who looked at your file yes?" She asked, and Clark nodded before following her out the door. They walked down the hallway, Clark resisting the urge to smirk as he saw the other agent's look away from them. It was obvious that Natasha's reputation was enough to ensure that no one bothered to give her a hard time, although Clark did notice some of the younger agent's checking her out when they thought she wasn't looking. He couldn't blame them. She really was beautiful. The thought made him grin slightly.

"What are you smiling about?" Natasha asked, and Clark laughed.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is supposed to have the best agents in the world, yet they make no attempt to hide the fact that they're checking you out." He replied, and she smiled. She saw some of the agents almost faint from shock, probably thinking that she wasn't capable of smiling. Natasha knew that she couldn't do it very often; she did have a reputation to maintain after all. However, Clark was so honest that she couldn't help it. It was refreshing to meet someone that could tell the truth after being surrounded by liars her entire life.

"I'm used to it." She replied, before leading him into a room. The doors instantly shut behind them, and Natasha looked on in silent approval as Clark scanned the room, obviously looking for possible threats.

"Do me a favor and step out of the shadows. Place the bow on the table." Clark said calmly.

"Dammit, how did you do that?" Clint Barton as he stepped out of the dark corner, placing his bow on the table.

"Trade secret." Clark replied simply.

"Clark, this is Clint Barton, goes by Hawkeye. Clint, this is Clark Kent our newest recruit, and my current assignment."

"Oh you got stuck with Tasha training you?" Clint asked, but Clark shook his head.

"No, I asked her to train me. She's the best Fury's got, and I intend to be the best." Clark replied, and Clint just shook his head.

"Good luck. Stop by if you survive, I'll buy you a drink. Oh, and don't worry about your file. Mum's the word." He said before walking out of the room. However, the door had barely shut before it opened again.

"You must be Clark Kent. I'm Phil Colson, it's a real pleasure to meet you. Good luck with training by the way."

"Everybody seems to be saying that." Clark replied, shaking hands with the man.

"Well, I hate to break this up, but I need to go. I've got a quick mission in Berlin tonight. Get some rest Clark, you're going to need it." She told him before walking out the door.

"Is she always like this?" Clark asked, and Colson shook his head.

"Only to the people she likes, so consider yourself lucky. The first time she met Barton she tried to kill him. Come on, I'll take you home." Colson said before leading him out of the room and down several hallways until they reached a garage.

"A red convertible?" Clark asked, but Colson just grinned and gestured for the young man to get in.

"Don't underestimate Lola." He replied, making Clark raise his eyebrow in response. Colson's comment made a lot more sense in the next moment as 'Lola' lifted off the ground and began to hover in the air. The door in front of them opened and Clark gasped as they flew out of the hanger and into the air.

"Colson, where were we?"

"Oh, that's the Helicarrier. It's our moving base."

"And is this..."

"New York? Why yes it is." Colson replied, grinning at the look of wonder that came over the young man's face as he gazed out on the New York City skyline.

"Tell me, does the new job come with my own Lola?" Clark asked, and Phil laughed but shook his head.

"Sorry, not just yet. Tell you what, survive training with Romanov and I'll see what I can do."

The rest of the ride was spent mostly in silence. Clark had a million questions, but decided not to ask. Instead he would just wait, and hopefully get them answered in time.

"You look like you've got more questions than someone on their first day of school. What's on your mind Clark?" Colson asked as they came within sight of the Kent farm.

"I've got a million questions, but I don't want to keep you here too long."

"Then what's the one that you want to know right now?" Colson asked. Clark was silent for a minute, not speaking until after Lola had touched down just outside the boundaries of the Kent farm.

"Can I trust Fury?" He finally asked.

"You can trust him to do the right thing." Colson finally said, and Clark nodded.

"Thanks for the ride." He said as he got out, and the older man smiled.

"If you've got anymore questions give me a call. I'm speed dial seven." He said, handing Clark a cellphone.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. Any advice for how to deal with all this?"

"Remember that you have a chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself."

Clark nodded, and turned toward the house, reflecting on how much his life had changed. Not twenty-four hours ago he had been in a bar in Metropolis, and now he was joining S.H.I.E.L.D. He shook his head as he headed inside; one thing was for sure, his life was never dull.

Clark's eyes flew open and he rolled off of his bed, landing in a crouch a moment later a knife already in his hand.

"Better. Not perfect, but better." Natasha acknoweleged from where she stood just inside his room. It had been two weeks since Clark had gotten back from being captured by S.H.I.E.L.D., and true to his word Fury had taken care of his cover. He had been accepted into a private school in Metropolis, or so his parents thought. His father had been against it of course, but after talking with Colson(who he thought was the school principal) and hearing Martha and Clark go on about it he had agreed to let him go. Clark spent Monday through Friday in school while Saturday and Sunday were spent at home. However, just because he was at home didn't stop Natasha from insisting that he continue his training as evidenced by her once again showing up in his bedroom well before dawn. If Clark's parents ever caught her in his room, they would undoubtoubly think it was because they were lovers, the thought almost making Clark laugh out loud. While Natasha was cordial, even borderline friendly with him at times, Clark had no illusions about it becoming anything more. In the short time that he had gotten to know her Clark knew one thing with absolute certainty. He was not Natasha Romanov's type. She was a super spy who was about to kick him in the face if he didn't get his head out of the clouds. He quickly caught her leg and threw her out the window, knowing that she could catch herself before jumping down after her.

"What did I tell you about getting distracted?" She said, and Clark didn't even bother responding. Instead he just charged, knife in hand, the only thought in his mind to put Natasha on the ground. Ten minutes later it became apparent that at least for now, that would have to remain just a thought.

"You telegraphed that last punch."

Clark just nodded, accepting her words. He had learned early on to accept her words as truth whether he believed them to be true or not. One because she was always right, and two because he knew that the last thing he wanted to do was make her upset. That would make his life ten times worse.

"Tell me something. What happened to you?" She asked, and he raised an eyebrow in question

"How do you go from getting drugged by me to demanding things from Fury?"

"Honestly, it was all brovado and that ring. The red ring takes away my inhibitions, makes me an ass. Usually I would never have accepted a drink from someone I just met. As for Fury, well it was an act. Everything but when he threatened my parents was me acting like I was a total badass."

"So you were just blowing smoke?" She asked and he nodded.

"Pretty much,. It wasn't that hard. After all, I've acted like a normal farmboy my whole life. But to be honest with you I was scared out of my mind. I still am. But make no mistake Natasha...anything happens to my family or to Chloe and I will burn S.H.I.E.L.D. to the ground."

"That's what you need to think."

"Excuse me?"

"Whether you realize it or not, there is a part of you that is holding back. That's why you're telegraphing your punches. From now on I want you to think about what you would do if your parents or Chloe were in danger. I want you to make me believe that you would kill me if I hurt them."

He didn't say a word, but she could see the shift in his body language. His jaw tightened, his eyes grew as cold as a Russian winter, and then he charged. He stuck hard and fast, forcing her on the defensive, not letting up for an instant. Against all odds, the Black Widow found herself on her back, Clark's knife pressed up against her throat.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." She said as she stood up.

"Now do it again." She told him, and Clark just charged.

"Where is she?"

Colson barely looked up from his coffee as Clark walked into his office on the Helicarrier, not even bothering to knock.

"Away on assignment. Why are Fury's drills becoming too simple?" He asked, and Clark chuckled but shook his head.

True to his word, the irector had designed several programs to help Clark learn to control his gifts. They had tested his strength and speed, heat vision, and x-ray vision all of which seemed to be growing stronger by the day. None of Fury's drills were ever the same, and Clark suspected that more than once the man had actually sent Clark on a couple of missions, but he decided not to say anything. He would be going on missions for Fury soon enough so what did it matter if he started a little early? His training with Natasha had also progressed rapidly over the last three months, and while Clark was glad that he was improving, he was also mildly upset as he knew that his lessons would be coming to an end. Natasha had become the closest thing to a friend he had within SHIELD and he didn't want that to end. That thought brought him back to the reason he had barged into Colson's office on a cold Monday morning.

"Colson, I need you to be straight with me. Natasha told me that this op would last a couple days, a week at the most. It's been three so tell me, is she okay?"

"That's classified."

"Cut the crap Colson. It's a simple yes or no question. Is she okay?"

"We don't know. She went dark a week ago, which in and of itself wouldn't be an issue. However, the fact that her last transmission said that she was close to completing her objective means that it's likely she got captured."

"There's no extraction team." Clark said, and Colson shook his head. Clark knew there wouldn't be, the Black Widow was Fury's best after all. However, Clark shouldn't shake the nagging feeling that she was in trouble, trouble that even Natasha Romanoff may have difficulty getting out of. He knew that what he was going to say next could result in more trouble for him, but he didn't care. He needed to know that she was okay.

"Tell me where she was headed. Now."

"Clark-"

"Colson please. I owe her. I promise that I won't do anything unless I have to, but I need to know."

"Budapest. She's in Budapest. I'll send the codes for her GPS tracker to your phone. But understand that you're on your own after that."

"I do, and Colson...thank you."

The man just nodded before watching Clark disappear in a blur. A moment later he pulled up a video-monitor.

"It's done."

"Good. Now we'll see if he has what it takes."

"Director, you do understand what will happen when he discovers what we've done."

"I hope that he'll see it was necessary. If not, well we have contingency's for a reason."

Colson nodded, and shut the monitor off, shaking his head as he thought of the young man's reaction when he found out what they had done.

Clark walked silently down the stairs, keeping his hand on the weapon at his hip. He had arrived in Budapest a couple moments ago and had quickly tracked Natasha's signal to an old wharehouse. He had killed the two guards at the main entrance and had just done the same to the one at the top of the stairs, sliding his knife across the man's throat. He knew it was harsh, and he didn't enjoy it, but he also knew that it needed to be done. If they had compatriots somewhere else he couldn't take the risk that they would wake up. He used his x-ray vision to peer through the solid oak door in front of him, feeling hiis anger grow at what he saw. Natasha was tied to a wall, her catsuit torn with blood coming from cuts along her abdomen. There were bruises along her arms and her left eye was black. All in all it wasn't a pretty sight.

"You're going to talk eventually you know? Everyone does." A man's voice said. Natasha said nothing, even when he slapped her across the face drawing blood.

"Boss, I don't think-"

"I don't pay you to think! Now shut up or get out! Actually get out, I can handle her."

That was all Clark needed to know. He had just confirmed that there were only two guards, so there was no need to wait any longer. He kicked the door in, pulling his gun and shooting the second man in the head before walking over to his boss and pistol-whipping him across the face, knocking him unconscious. The entire thing had taken less than fifteen seconds.

He quickly walked over to Natasha and freed her from her restraints.

"What are you doing here Clark?" She asked once she had gotten her blood flowing again.

"It's been three weeks. I had a bad feeling about this and when Colson said you had gine dark, but your assignment was almost up I knew something was wrong."

"Colson told you I had gone dark?" She asked, and he nodded, wondering what she was getting at.

"Fury was testing you."

"What?"

"I never went dark. Fury must have arranged for my cover to get blown, knowing that you would want to know where I was."

"You don't seem too upset about it." Clark replied, trying to keep his own anger in check. Part of him wanted to go and wring the Director's neck, but he also knew that it wouldn't do any good in the long run.

"I'm not surprised is all. That's the way this world works, everyone's expendable. Besides, this is nothing compared to some of my other missions."

Clark just nodded his head once before handing Natasha his backup piece.

"Is your mission over?" He asked. Natasha didn't answer, just turned to the unconscious man on the floor and shot him in the head.

"Now it is."

"There's no extraction team and I didn't bring transport. So we can either find some form of transport or I can run us out of here. Your choice."

Natasha smiled, appreciating his professionalism as well as his courtesy. She hated accepting help unless she needed it, and Clark knew it. However, she also knew that it would be smarter to leave before attracting undue attention.

"Let's run." She replied, and he nodded picking her up and racing out of the wharehouse, coming to a stop a moment later. He set her down and the two walked into the Helicarrier, Natasha quickly walking towards her quarters after telling Clark that she would be by his house that night. He just nodded, figuring that they would need to make up on the training they had missed, and he was also sure that Natasha wouldn't let a few wounds slow her down.

"So I see you were succesful."

"Yes sir, the mission was taken care of." He replied, turning to Fury.

"And Agent Romanoff?"

"She's fine. A few cuts and bruises but otherwise fine." He replied, keeping his voice even.

"Good." Fury said, before turning to walk away.

"Director." Clark called, making Fury turn.

"Something to keep in mind. It's hard for people to follow orders when they can't trust their commanding officer to have their back."

With that Clark sped away, leaving Fury shaking his head.

"Are you going to stand there all night or come inside?" Clark asked from where he stood inside his room, smiling as he saw Natasha come in through the window.

"Good, you haven't slacked off."

"And risk seeing you angry? Not likely." He replied, and she laughed softly.

"In all seriousness Clark, you've done well. I know I was a hard taskmaster, but you took everything I threw at you and never once complained. I would work with you in a heartbeat."

"What are you saying Natasha?"

"I'm saying that your time as my student is over. There's nothing further that I can teach you."

"You're not saying that because of Budapest are you?"

"Yes and no. I have taught you all that I can. Budapest merely proved that you can implement what I've taught you. I was going to give you a test after I got back, but now I see that it isn't necessary. As far as I'm concerned, you've earned this." She said, pulling a box from her pocket. She opened it and handed Clark a badge.

"Welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Kent."

"Are you allowed to give me this?" He asked, and she grinned.

"I talked to Fury and he agreed. You'll get your first assignment tomorrow. The badge will give you clearance level six. Fury was hesitant, but I told him you had earned it."

"You stuck your neck out for me." He said and she shook her head.

"No, I gave you what you earned. I have tried training recruits before and no one lasted more than a week. Now smile and say thank you before I put you on your ass." She told him and he laughed.

"Thank you Natasha. For everything."

"You're welcome." She replied before suddenly turning serious.

"Clark, what I am about to tell you is classified-"

"Then you don't have to tell me." He interrupted but she shook her head.

"You deserve to know. Besides, you saved my life and to a Russian that's a debt that can never be repaid."

"You taught me everything I know, and you're my friend Natasha. What debt is there between friends?" He asked, and she smiled, once again amazed by his honesty. Most men would take advantage of a debt owed but not Clark. To him it was just the right thing to do.

"Thank you. Regardless of whether you want to acknoweledge a debt or not, I promise that I'll always have your back. Now you deserve to know everything."

"What do you mean?" He asked, and she sighed.

"I mean you've been lied to. We know that you're not just powerful Clark. We know that-"

"I'm an alien." He finished and she nodded once in response.

"You must think that I'm some kind of freak." He said, but she shook her head.

"No, I think you're a good man, and a friend. Besides, you're not the only one with a strange past. Tell me, how old do I look to you?"

"Twenty-two, twenty-three at the most. Why?" He asked, and she chuckled at the look on his face.

"Because technically I'm 92. I was born on November 23, 1921. When I was five I was selected to be taken and trained by the KGB. They designed a serum similar to the one that was created for Captain America and when I was nineteen I was given it and then placed into stasis. When I woke up I became an assasin for hire until SHIELD found me. So while I guess I may physically be twenty-three biologically I'm 92. So trust me, you being an alien is not that strange."

Clark just nodded, not saying a word. None were needed as they both understood the significance of what Natasha had just told him, the trust that she was giving him.

"I should let you rest. Fury wants you there by eight." She said, and he nodded. She smiled before embracing him and then walking away without a word, leaving Clark standing there dumbstruck.

"Good, you're on time." Director Fury said as Clark walked into his office, seeing Colson, a pair of scientist's and a female agent that he had never met standing there.

"Agent Kent, meet Agent May and Doctor's Fitz and Simmon's. You already know Agent Colson." He said, and Clark nodded to each of them.

"Sorry I'm late, traffic was a pain." A man said as he walked into the room.

"Be on time from now on Agent Ward. Agent Grant Ward, Agent Clark Kent. I assume you already know Agent's May and Colson and Dr's Fitz and Simmons."

"Yes sir." He said before muttering something under his breath making Clark chuckle.

"Something funny Agent Kent?" Fury asked, and Clark shook his head.

"No sir, it's just Agent Ward must have a death wish. Referring to the Black Widow as eye-candy is a sure way to get injured." He said, and the others smirked while Ward's eyes widened.

"Colson, I think you can take it from here.: Fury said, and Colson nodded as Fury left his office.

"You are all here because you are my team. We will be looking into things that have yet to be classified or are just strange. Not unlike Smallville." He said, and Clark nodded in understanding.

"Now let's go. The Bus is set to leave in an hour. Ward, May, make sure everything's up and running. Fitz, Simmon's double check your inventory. Clark, you're with me. We have a stop to make."

"Where are we going Colson?" Clark asked, and Colson laughed, but didn't say anything. He just led Clark down to a hanger bay where a black plane and Lola waited. Beside Lola was a black convertible.

"That's the Bus." He said, pointing to the plane.

"You don't say."

"And this is yours. I told you if you survived I'd see what I could do." He told him, leading Clark to the black convertible.

"Just remember that nobody touches your car." He said as they got in.

"You're right. Nobody touches Tasha." He said, and Colson nodded. It was fitting in a way, Clark naming his car after the woman who had trained him to be an Agent.

"We've still got one more stop to make." Colson said, and Clark raised his eyebrow.

"Fury agreed that since we could be away for long periods your parents could be informed. So now we're off to Smallville."

Clark just stared at Colson for a moment before he shook his head.

"Dad's gonna kill me."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoy this first chapter! Please read and review and the next chapter will be up soon!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Mom, dad!"

"In the barn!" His father called out, and Clark and Colson quickly walked over to the barn just as Jonathan slid out from under the tractor, Martha helping him up.

"Mr. Colson, what brings you here? Is everything alright?" He asked, looking from Clark to Colson.

"Everything's fine dad. It's just...I don't exactly go to a private school, and Colson isn't exactly a teacher."

"Mr. and Mrs. Kent, my name is Phil Colson. I am an Agent with the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division as is your son."

"Explain. Now." Jonathan said, looking as though he wanted to beat Colson to a pulp.

"It all started back during my incident in Metropolis. I was in a bar and a woman bought me a drink. I should never of taken it, but I did. As soon as I finished it I blacked out. When I came to I found myself restrained, and looking at that same woman. Only it wasn't the same woman."

"I am sorry about that by the way. Fury's orders."

"I thought you'd already be out on assignment." Clark said with a smile which Natasha returned.

"And miss seeing you off on your first job? Not likely. I'm sorry I missed the briefing."

"I wish you'd been there. Ward decided to call you eye-candy." Colson said, and Natasha laughed.

"It wouldn't be the first time. I'll just have to punch him next time I see him." She replied, making the other two agents laugh. Jonathan cleared his throat, and they turned toward the Kents, both of whim were obviously still waiting for an explanation.

"Anyway so I wake up and find out that the woman that bought me a drink is actually Natasha Romanoff, the best Agent SHIELD has. SHIELD had apparently been watching me and they wanted me to work for them. I met Director Fury and he told me that if I joined them, he would help me with my powers. I agreed, on the conditions that anything about me was redacted, that I know everyone who has access to my file and that you and Chloe have protection. Oh and that Natasha teaches me trade craft." He said with a smirk.

"Son how can you be so calm about this?! The government knows your secret!"

"They also need my help."

"What happens when they decide that they don't need you? What happens when they decide that your powers are all they need?"

"That won't happen. I will personally kill anyone who tries to act as though Clark is expendable." Natasha said in a tone the brokered no argument. However, Jonathan still didn't look convinced.

"Dad, you need to understand that I know more ways to defend myself than people who spend their entire lives in special forces. Besides, Natasha's got my back, and the only way she isn't a threat is if she's dead."

"Even then I'd check her for bombs." Colson interjected, and Clark nodded.

"Clark, you shouldn't have to do this though. You're only sixteen!" His mother said, speaking for the first time. Clark smiled softly even as he shook his head.

"Mom, I can't keep pretending to be something I'm not. Normal sixteen year olds don't have my powers. Normal sixteen year olds don't have to stop their friends from becoming killers. Normal sixteen year olds don't watch the girl they love die right before their eyes. I can't keep fooling myself into ignoring what's out there. There are things that make what I have dealt with look like nothing, things that could put the entire planet at risk. How could I live with myself if I did nothing while people died?"

"You couldn't. You're too much like your father. Just promise me that you'll come home." She said, and he nodded, unable to do anything else. Everyone there knew that one day he might not come home, but no one was willing to say the words. He walked over and embraced his parents before walking out of the barn with Colson and Natasha on either side of him.

"Nice ride." She said, and Clark smiled.

"I like it. Once we find time I'll let you take her for a spin if you want." He said, and she smiled.

"I'd like that. Now I hate to run, but we all have work to do. I'll call you once I get back and we'll figure something out." She said, and Clark nodded again giving her a soft smile which she returned before they parted ways, Clark and Colson heading back to the Helicarrier while Natasha headed to do whatever job Fury needed her for this time.

"Where have you two been, we've been ready for almost an hour." Ward said as soon as Colson and Clark walked onto the Bus. Clark thought the Bus was an understatement. It was more like a flying house. There were conference rooms, bedrooms and bathrooms for more than ten people, a private lab for Fitz and Simmons, offices for all of them and even a gym and shooting range. In short, it had everything they needed for a long-term mission.

"That's classified." Clark replied, and Ward glared. The others just looked at Colson, waiting for him to speak.

"Clark's right. Now let's get this show on the road people. We have a briefing in five minutes." He replied before heading up to his office, presumably to double-check any last minute variations in his briefing.

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Excuse me?" Clark asked calmly, ignoring the anger in Ward's voice.

"Who the hell do you think you are telling us what's classified? You're a rookie who probably didn't even attend the academy!"

"You're right I didn't. I survived being trained by the best in SHIELD and I guarantee you that it was harder than the academy. Now I don't know why you insist on acting like this, but shove it. If you want to complain afterwords because my mission performance is unsatisfactory then go right ahead, but until then let's all just do our jobs." He said before heading into the conference room, the others joining him a moment later. Colson walked in last and shut the door behind him, passing out folders to each of them.

"Recently there have been a series of break-in's into SHIELD archives, all having been committed by a cyber-terrorist group named the Rising Tide. Think of them like a darker version of what Julian Asange was doing a couple years ago. Now the reason we are handling this should be self-explanatory." He said, motioning for them to open the file.

"Colson, has any of this been released to the media?" Clark asked as he looked up from the file, having barely finished the first page. The others looked at him when they heard his tone of voice, but he ignored them keeping his eyes focused on Colson.

"Not yet, and our job is to ensure that it isn't. It would be easier if we could find out who made up this group, but all they leave behind is their alias and affiliation with the Rising Tide."

There was silence for a moment as they all looked through the files, analyzing the various crimes and aliases in an attempt to find some sort of pattern. Suddenly Clark gasped as he reached the last page.

"Colson, I have to go. I'll be back soon." He said standing up and heading for the door, only to find Colson blocking his path.

"Clark, what's going on? Did you find something?" He asked, and Clark nodded.

"One of the aliases...I know it."

"How?" May spoke up, everyone's attention having turned to Clark as soon as he stood up.

"Because that alias belongs to my best friend. Her name is Chloe Sullivan."

For a moment there was silence as Colson looked into his eyes. Clark met the older man's gaze unflinchingly, not backing down.

"Did you know about this?"

"Of course he did! It's no coincidence, he joins SHIELD and then his best friend hacks us." Ward spoke up, but everyone ignored him, waiting for Clark's response.

"I had no idea that Chloe was affiliated with the Rising Tide. But now that I do know, I am asking, no I am begging for you to let me talk to her. Let me figure this out."

"No. We will bring her in, and then we will question her."

"I'll be glad to handle it." Ward said, and Clark turned slowly, fixing the older man with a look that would freeze hell.

"If you so much as touch her, I will kill you."

"Stand down Agent Kent. May, can you handle it?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Agent May, please don't harm her. She's not a bad person." Clark said, and May looked at him for a minute before nodding once. There wasn't a really a need to harm this Chloe Sullivan, not yet at least.

Clark stared through the glass just as he had been doing for the last hour, ever since Chloe had been brought in. When May had first brought Chloe on board he had been nervous, but now he was just angry. He was angry with May and Colson for the harshness of their questioning, he was angry with Chloe for refusing to answer anything, he was angry with Ward for his constant need to mutter about how easy it would be for him to get the answers that they were looking for. But most of all he was angry with himself for being too busy training to realize what his best friend was up to. Oh, he knew that his training had been important, but so was Chloe. She was the closest thing that he had to a sister, and he felt that he should have known what she was up to.

"She's not talking. She admits to being part of Rising Tide, but she won't tell us anything else."

"Let me talk to her. I'll get her to talk." Ward said, but Colson shook his head.

"No. Clark, you know her. Talk to her, convince her to help us." He told the younger man, and Clark nodded, steeling himself before walking into the room. Chloe looked up as the door opened, and her mouth opened in shock as she beheld her oldest and dearest friend walking into the room.

"Clark? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question. Why are you working with the Rising Tide Chloe? What sort of hold do they have on you?"

"They don't have a hold on me Clark. They noticed some of the research that I'd done into Lionel Luthor and they came and made me an offer."

"Chloe, why would you work with them? They're trying to destroy SHIELD, and that could have dire consequences." He told her, but Chloe just shook her head.

"Clark, don't you get it? I'm doing this for you. Nothing's going to be released, but if SHIELD can't track people then they can't hurt them. I won't let anyone lock you in a lab Clark, and if I can't let that happen to you than why should I let it happen to anyone else?" She asked, her voice full of pain and anguish at the thought of what could possibly happen to her best friend.

"Chloe you don't understand. I know that you think you're doing the right thing, but you've got it all wrong. SHIELD dosen't want to imprison people with powers they want to help them. They already helped me."

"What are you talking about?" She asked, and he smiled.

"Remember that private school in Metropolis I've been at for the past three months?" He asked, and she nodded her head in response, Clark's smile widening as he saw his friend connect the dots.

"I wasn't at a private school. I was undergoing training to join SHIELD."

"What?"

"Tell me, how far did you get into SHIELD's database?"

"I know that their Director's named Fury and they've got a pair of top Agents that only go on suicide missions. One's named Clint Barton, goes by Hawkeye and the other is named Natasha Romanoff better known as-"

"The Black Widow, and the person who trained me." He finished, cutting her off.

"You're serious." She said, and Clark nodded once.

"Chloe, you need to listen to me. Whatever the people at Rising Tide promised you, you cannot trust them. They are using you to get information on SHIELD. You need to tell Agent Colson everything that you know, and then you need to help us make sure that none of the information you just told me gets into their hands."

"But-"

"No buts Chloe. If these people get their hands on the identities of SHIELD agent's thousands of lives could be at risk. People will die. Now please help us bring them down. Help us stop them before it's too late." He told her, and she lowered her head. When she looked into his eyes a moment later, the young SHIELD agent could see the tears building in her eyes.

"I am so sorry Clark. But it already is too late."

"What are you talking about Miss Sullivan?" Colson asked as he stepped into the room.

"I...I arranged to meet someone, a representative of Rising Tide."

"When?"

"In three hours, at the coffee shop across from the Daily Planet." She said, surprised when she saw Colson smile.

"Tell me, how long would it take you to make fake intel look authentic?" He asked, and this time it was Chloe who smiled.

"Give me a computer and one hour."

"I don't like this. She could betray us." Ward spoke up as they watched Chloe walk over to the coffee shop where she was to meet her Rising Tide contact.

"Chloe Sullivan is no traitor. I trust her with my life."

"I hope you're right because that's exactly what you're doing, and not just with your life." May interjected, and Clark nodded. He understood what was at stake, but he also knew his best friend.

"Quiet down people, her contact's approaching." Colson's voice came over their earpieces just as they saw a young brunette walking over and sitting down beside Chloe. Clark shook his head, disgusted that the Rising Tide would send someone so young.

They could hear her conversation through the earpiece she wore, and it seemed that Chloe was just as shocked at who her contact was.

"_You're my contact?"_

"_You sound surprised."_

"_Well yeah. I didn't expect someone so young."_

"_You think you're the only one that gets recruited at a young age Chloe?"_

"_I guess not. Do you have a name?"_

"_Skye."_

"_Just Skye?"_

"_Just Skye. Now tell me, do you have the intel we need?"_

"_Right here."_

They watched as Chloe pulled out the flash drive containing the false or outdated intel that Colson had given her and handed it to Skye who quickly inserted it into her own laptop. A moment later she disconnected it, and closed the computer and they could all see her fixing Chloe with a glare. Clark saw it and turned to Ward who had a similar look on his face. No words were exchanged, but they both knew what needed to be done. The two ran over to the table weapons pointed at Skye, with Colson and May following close behind.

"Hi there, I'm Clark Kent Agent of SHIELD, and you're under arrest. Do me a favor and come quietly." He said, just as May came around and put cuffs on her.

"You okay Chloe?" He asked, and she nodded, picking up Skye's laptop and walking back with the others.

"Ward...thank you for your help. I know you were just doing a job, but still..." He trailed off and Ward nodded.

"I was wrong about Sullivan, and I guess I was wrong about you too. Welcome to SHIELD." He said, extending his hand. Clark shook it and then the two followed after their teammates and the prisoner.

"So, training with Romanoff... How was it?"

"Honestly? Longest three months of my life."

"I'm sure. So did you..."

"No. Natasha and I are just friends. Besides, even if I did think about her that way, I'm not her type."

"So what's going to happen to them?" Clark asked once everyone sans Chloe and Skye had been seated in the conference room.

"Chloe helped us, so we'll send her back to Smallville. We'll still have agents watching her though. Skye on the other hand will probably go to prison." Colson replied simply.

"Seems a waste. I mean if they sent her to meet Sullivan based on what they knew of her, then she must be almost as good when it comes to hacking." Ward spoke up, surprising everyone.

"What are you suggesting Ward?" May asked.

"We turn her, offer her immunity in exchange for helping us." Clark said, catching onto the older man's plan.

"It's too risky." May objected, but Clark shook his head.

"People said the same thing about SHIELD trusting Agent Romanoff and look what happened. She's not a bad kid, she's just misguided. Let's give it two weeks and if we're not sure we can trust her she's out. You can't say that a good hacker won't come in handy."

"What about Sullivan?" May asked, but Colson shook his head.

"She's off limits, Fury's orders. Alright, we'll give your idea a shot Ward, but she's your responsibility."

"I understand sir." He replied.

A few moments later they all left the conference room, Colson heading down to the holding cell to give the two women the news. Clark went to follow intent on seeing his friend, but he was stopped by Agent May's hand on his arm.

"Look, I don't care what sort of deal you made with Fury. I don't care how good Romanoff thinks you are, you need to learn your place. It is not to contradict your superiors."

"I report to Agent Colson. If you have a problem with me take it up with him. Unless of course you want to settle this the old-fashioned way?"

"Gym. Ten minutes." She said before walking away.

"She didn't try to deck you, so that's a good thing." Ward said as he walked over to him.

"Something tells me you have some experience with that?"

"Some." Ward replied, but he didn't elaborate.

"Ten bucks says Clark loses badly." Ward said as he, Fitz, Simmons, Chloe, Colson and a somewhat reluctant Skye stood watching the two begin to circle each other.

"I'll take that bet." Chloe said with a smile.

"Anybody else?" He asked, shaking his head in frustration when there were no other takers.

Suddenly Clark attacked, striking so fast that May could barely block his attacks. She struck on, hitting Clark in the stomach and making him step back before the two were once again locked in combat. Thirty seconds later it was over with May laying unconscious on the floor.

"Was knocking her unconscious really necessary?" Colson asked as he walked over and woke her up.

"Strike first, strike hard, and make sure they can't get up." Clark replied simply, parroting Natasha's words from the day the two had first met.

"He's right. Good job, you fight well." May said as she stood up.

Clark merely nodded in acknowledgment, smiling as he saw Ward hand Chloe ten dollars. As he fell asleep that night with the plane speeding toward Germany and their next mission, his thoughts turned to Natasha. Was she okay, had her mission been successful, would she have approved of how he did his job? Anyone walking past his room would have heard her name on his lips as he finally succumbed to sleep.

Meanwhile in Smallville, the spirit of Jor-El watched his son's development with growing displeasure. Kal-El was not embracing his destiny, and that simply could not be allowed. He had to think, to plan and find a way to put Kal-El back on his proper path.

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Thanks to everyone who has followed, favorited or reviewed this story and the next chapter should be up soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"So what's this guy's story?" Ward asked as they gathered in the briefing room the following morning.

"His name is Jonas Green. Approximaly five foot two, two hundred and forty pounds. He was born and raised in Berlin, but gained dual citizenship in Great Britian after getting a degree from Oxford. He moved back to Berlin two years ago and went on to be an accountant if you can believe that. However, all that changed a week ago. He woke up and found out that he could punch a hole through a wall."

"Most people can do that. It may hurt, but most people can do it." Skye interjected, but Colson shook his head.

"Can most people punch a hole through a brick wall without even breaking skin?" He asked, making Skye shake her head, while Ward and May looked slightly surprised. Fitz and Simmons were looking like someone had told them Christmas had come early, no doubt intrigued by the scientific possibilities. In fact the only person in the room besides Colson who didn't seem the least bit shocked by what Colson had said was Clark, something that the others were quick to notice.

"Why don't you seem the least bit surprised by this?" May asked, but Skye spoke before the young man could answer.

"Probably because he's been involved in pretty much everything strange or mysterious that goes on in Smallville." She said, making Clark glare while the others merely looked on.

"What? I read the Torch when I'm bored."

"So, just how involved were you in all the weird stuff in Smallville Clark?" Fitz asked after a minute.

"Enough to know what kind of person we're going to deal with." He replied, making it clear that the discussion was closed.

"So I'm assuming you have a plan Agent Kent?" Colson asked, making the young man smirk.

"As a matter of fact Agent Colson, I do."

"I seriously hate this plan." Ward muttered from where he was perched on the roof of a hotel, just across from the museum. Skye had pinged the man's cellphone and found out where he was. Now the only thing that remained was to hope that Jonas Green wasn't the violent type.

"Just remember Ward, don't shoot unless I give you the word."

"Just be sure to stay out of my line of sight. Do you have any idea the type of paperwork I'd have to deal with for accidentally shooting an agent?"

"Cut the chatter you two, and keep your minds on the job." Colson said, effectively ending the conversation.

"Mr. Green, can I have a word?" Clark asked as he walked over to the man, seeing another man standing beside him.

"Don't say a word Jonas. I told you this would happen. He's one of them."

"One of who, and just who are you?" Clark asked, briefly turning his gaze to the man. He looked to be about fifty with black hair that was greying around the temples, and was dressed in a dark blue almost black suit. Most wouldn't have given him a second glance, but Clark wasn't most people and he knew that whoever this man was he wasn't anyone good.

"Why you're an agent of SHIELD of course, and as for who I am well I'm just a messanger…Mr. Kent."

The last two words were spoken so softly that the mikes didn't pick them up, but Clark caught them clear as crystal thanks to his super hearing. Clark glared at the man, but he knew that now wasn't the time to lose his temper. For now he had to keep his mind on the job, so instead of responding he returned his attention to Jonas Green.

"Mr. Green, my name is Clark Kent, and yes I am an agent of SHIELD. However, I also understand what you're going through."

"I find that hard to believe."

"You spend most of your life just like everybody else, and then you wake up one day and you're different, and the way you find out that you're different is by getting so angry that you punch a hole through a brick wall. Then lo and behold, you don't even have a scratch on you. Now you're scared, afraid to go home, afraid to touch anything or anyone for fear of using too much strength and hurting someone. Now I'm sure that this man here has told you horror stories about how SHIELD wants to use you, how they want to turn you into a weapon. He is lying. All we want is to help you control your powers so that you don't have to be scared anymore."

"Say I believe you, what happens once I've learned how to control my powers?"

"That is entirely up to you. Once you learn to control your powers you will be given an offer to join SHIELD. If you take that offer than I will be glad to welcome you to the team. If you decide that you want to walk away, then I give you my word that you will walk away and never hear from me again. Now what do you say?"

"You give me your word that I can walk away, and you won't follow?"

"You have my word."

"Then let's go." He replied walking toward the younger man.

"No you can't-"

"He can and he did. Now as for you, you're-"

"Sorry I couldn't resist. Itchy trigger finger." Ward said a moment later as the man fell to the floor, clutching his knee.

Clark just shook his head before walking over and cuffing the man, not quite sure how to respond to Ward's statement.

"Mr. Green, this is Agent Colson, and he'll be the one who will start helping you learn control." The Last Son of Krypton said a few moments later as they all walked back onto the Bus.

"Good to meet you. If you'll follow me we can get started. Good work Clark." He said, and Clark just nodded his head in acknowledgement of the man's comment.

"I know that you'll want Ward to interrogate this one, but I need a minute with him first. Alone." He told him, fixing the senior agent with a look that spoke volumes.

"I'll give you two. Just keep him in a state to talk." Colson replied, and Clark nodded before walking the man into the interrogation room, completely ignoring the looks the other occupants of the Bus were giving him.

"Now, start talking. How do you know who I am?" He demanded, shoving the man into a chair as the door to the interrogation room shut behind them.

"It is not I who knows you Mr. Kent. As I said before, I am just a messenger." He replied, looking as though he had not a care in the world. Clark shook his head at the man's cavalier attitude before slamming his hand down on the table.

"Look, I don't have time for games! If you're just a messenger, than who is the person that gives you your messages? Who do you give them to?"

"Oh, but I cannot say for I have never seen them. I am not even sure whether they are male or female."

"Then how about you tell me what you do know? You must have called them something."

"No names were given and I was never so foolish as to ask. Except, I heard whispers from others, the other messengers….whispers of the Clairvoyant, and of the change he would bring."

"Changes to what, to who?" Clark pressed.

"Changes to the world. Changes in the form of a rising tide." He replied. Suddenly he began to foam at the mouth, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell off the chair. Instantly Clark was by his side, feeling desperately for a pulse. A moment later he cursed as he realized that he was too late...the messenger was dead.

He walked out the door where he was met by Colson, May and Ward.

"He's dead." Clark said simply, moving out of the way even as Colson called for Fitz and Simmons.

"What the hell happened?" Colson asked a minute later as Fitz and Simmons took the body away for autopsy.

"Cyanide capsule if I had to guess. One minute I'm questioning him, and the next thing I know he's foaming at the mouth."

"Why were you questioning him?" May asked, but Clark ignored her, continuing to look at Colson.

"I asked you-"

"That's enough May. Go make sure we're still on course. Ward, go see if Fitz and Simmons have made any progress, then see if Skye can find out who this guy was. He may have had some form of ID on him." Colson told them and the two nodded before doing as he asked. However, it was obvious that they weren't happy about it.

"What in the hell is going on Clark?" Colson asked once they walked up to his office.

"We could have a serious problem. Whoever that man was, he knew my name, and I have never seen him before in my life. He knew my name, knew I worked for SHIELD."

"You think there could be a leak, someone within SHIELD?" Colson asked.

"Honestly, I don't know what to think. I hope that there's not a leak, because we both know just how many people knew I was an agent!"

"Look, take a deep breath and start at the beginning. What did he tell you once you started to question him?"

"It was strange. He said he was a messenger, but that he had no idea who gave him the messages or who he was giving them to. All he said was that there were other messengers, and they had mentioned someone called the Clairvoyant, and that he would change the world in the form of a rising tide."

"Well I don't have a clue who or what the clairvoyant is, but the rising tide part isn't that hard to figure out."

"We need to find them and shut them down. Then maybe I'll find out how that man knew who I was."

"We'll figure it out together my friend." He said, and Clark nodded before heading out of the man's office, and heading into his own just as his computer went off saying that he had a video conference call. He answered it, smiling when he saw Natasha's face looking back at him.

"Calling to check up on me?" He asked, and she laughed in response.

"I can't just want to have a chat with a friend?" She asked him, and this time it was Clark's turn to laugh.

"So how have your first couple days on the job been?" She asked, making his smile fade slightly as he remembered the unknown man's words.

"Natasha, when you said you had my back-"

"Whatever you need Clark." She said, cutting him off. He nodded in thanks and made sure his office door was shut and locked, going so far as to check for bugs and asking her to do the same.

"Okay Clark, we're both clean as far as monitoring devices go. Now what's going on? What's got you so rattled?"

"It all started with today's assignment…"

He then proceeded to tell her everything that had happened over the course of the day, not leaving a single detail out.

"Well for starter's congratulations on your success. Managing to convince Green to come in without revealing your powers is impressive. Now as for your conversation with this messenger I just don't know. I've never heard of anyone called the Clairvoyant and none of the intelligence that I've ever seen on the Rising Tide has ever mentioned them as anything more than a group wanting to stop SHIELD from finding people with powers. However, that's obviously not the case."

"So what do we do now?" He asked.

"Now we just go about business as usual. However, I am going to talk to Colson, see about getting you transferred."

"What?"

"Clark, if you come across anyone else who knows who you are then pretty soon everyone on the Bus is going to start asking questions."

"Let them ask. I mean anything to do with me is redacted."

"Eventually they'll work it out, and if it turns out we do have a mole and it's one or both of them then you could be in trouble."

"I can handle myself. You made sure of that."

She didn't respond, just looking at him an unreadable expression on her face.

"Natasha?" He asked after a minute.

"Just promise me that you'll be careful. You're one of the few people that I can trust in this business. One of the only friends I've got."

"I will be, I promise. Just come back alive from whatever Fury has you doing alright?"

"It's a deal. In fact, I should be flying back tonight. Any chance the boss might let you have a night off? I'll buy you a drink."

"No drugs this time?" He asked, making her chuckle.

"No drugs. So what do you say?"

"Just tell me where you want to meet. I'm sure Colson can manage without me for a couple hours."

"There's a little hole in the wall on the south side of New York. The sign above the door looks like an eagle. I'll see you at ten local time."

"See you then." He replied before the two cut the connection.

"Have we found anything?" He asked as he walked into Colson's office.

"Not yet, and there's not much we can do until we do find something. You may as well take the rest of the night off."

"I'm actually meeting Natasha for a drink. Call me if we find something?"

"Of course. Enjoy your drink."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter will be up soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Clark was grateful that Natasha had mentioned the eagle above the entrance or he doubted he ever would have found the bar on his own. There was no sign outside, the only distinguishing marker being the faded eagle on the door. Obviously whoever ran this place didn't want any random person off the street to walk in, and as soon as he entered Clark saw why. Every single person present had the same look in their eyes that Clark saw in his own when he looked in the mirror in the mornings. A darkness, a coldness that was only recognizable to those who had seen combat, who had taken life. The eyes of a warrior, an assassin, a killer. He ignored the glances that came his way, instead walking calmly through the bar until he came to a table near the back, taking a seat across from Natasha.

"So you found the place." She said by way of greeting.

"Yeah. Who runs it anyway? It's not exactly your typical clientele."

"That it's not. Jordan Burke at your service." A man said as he walked over to them. He was about fifty with grey hair, but his eyes told Clark that he wasn't someone to be underestimated.

"Pleasure to meet you. I would offer a name but I don't trust you." He replied, which made Burke burst out laughing.

"As well you shouldn't! You've taught this one well Tasha. I'll be back in a minute with drinks." He told them before walking away and leaving the two agent's alone.

"What's his story?"

"He's former SHIELD, caused some major problems for Russia back in the 60's. After he got out he opened this place, specifically for those of us that are required to get our hands dirty. It gives us a place to relax, exchange intel when it's convenient, but most of all it's invitation only. Barton brought me after my first SHIELD mission."

"And you should not have brought this child."

Natasha's expression didn't change, but Clark could tell she was annoyed by the interruption.

"Clark this is-"

"Mikal Rivken, member of the Mossad. We've met." He said, cutting her off.

"You shouldn't be here boy."

"Let's get one thing straight…the only reason you're still breathing is because I don't need the headache that killing you will bring. Now I would advise you to leave us be before I change my mind." Clark said quietly, not even sparing the other man a glance.

"Is there a problem here?" Burke asked as he came over with their drinks.

"Not at all. I was merely greeting an old friend." Mikal replied smoothly, making Burke raise an eyebrow.

"Is that right? Well if you're done, I suggest you leave my guests alone."

"Of course. I'll see you around Kent." He said before walking off, Burke following a moment later.

"So, how do you know Rivken?" Natasha asked, making Clark's eyes harden in response.

"It all started a little over two years ago. A guy I went to school with named Whitney Fordman joined the Marine Core, but he came home about four months after his first deployment."

"Only it wasn't him." Natasha surmised, and Clark nodded.

"It was actually a girl named Tina Greer who had an unhealthy obsession with Lana. She was a shapeshifter with meteor rock laced bones. I tried to stop her from going after Lana, but I was losing badly. I thought she was going to kill me until Ziva showed up. She was working as an NCIS liason officer at the time and had come to investigate and confirm whether or not Whitney was actually dead. She stabbed Tina through the back with a steel pipe and saved my life."

"In the process she found out your secret."

"That's right. We kept in touch as best we could, and she became the closest thing I had to an older sister. Then one day her boss at NCIS gave me a call and told me that Ziva had gone missing. She had been captured while on assignment for Mossad and Rivken and her father refused to get her out, saying that they couldn't risk more agents."

"So you found her."

"Yes…I found her." He said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"That bad?"

"Worse….she didn't even recognize me. When I saw just how bad it was I…I beat every single one of her captors to within an inch of their lives. I took her back to the farm, and called Gibbs. Then I spent the next few months trying to help her as best I could. Thank Rao it worked. Then everything went crazy. Gibbs and his team had come to take Ziva back to DC since she wanted to get back to work."

"Let me guess….Rivken somehow found out where she was."

"That's right. He came and demanded that Ziva come back with him, that she return to Mossad. Well needless to say hell would freeze over before Gibbs or I would let that happen, and Rivken and I have hated each other ever since." He said simply, before he chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"This whole thing just seems so surreal. You and I sitting here talking about Ziva when she was the one who told me who you were."

At her raised eyebrow he elaborated.

"After she got better she talked about old cases, and mentioned that there weren't many people she could trust. When I asked her if there was anyone she worked with besides Gibbs and his team who she trusted, she told me there was only one person, and she was arguably the most dangerous woman I would ever meet. Natasha Romanoff, better known as the Black Widow."

"So that's how you recognized me when I told you my last name." She said and he nodded.

"That's also a good part of why I was willing to trust you when we first met. I didn't know you, but I knew your reputation because of Ziva and I figured that if she could trust you, then I could too."

"You never mentioned her before."

"I didn't want you to judge me based on someone I know. Respect and trust is earned, not just given."

"You trusted me." She shot back, even as she silently acknoweledged his point. Respect and trust had to be earned; in their line of work, nothing less was acceptable. Anything less could get you killed.

"I didn't have much choice considering that I was captured at the time."

"Do you regret it?" She asked suddenly.

"Regret accepting a drink from a beautiful woman…not for a second."

"Even though I drugged you?"

"You were doing your job. Besides, if I hadn't joined SHIELD I would've probably spent years isolated on the farm, completely ignoring the larger problems that exist."

"You would've been happy."

"Would I have been? I don't think so because I would have never met the best friend I've ever had." He said, looking at her so intently that she wanted to turn away. It seemed as though he was looking through her, as if he could see into her very soul.

"I thought you said that Chloe was your best friend?" She asked, calling on all her years of training to not let her friend and fellow SHIELD agent see how much his words had affected her.

"She is, but there are also some things that I can never talk to her about, and not just because they're classified. If she knew the things I've done, the blood I have on my hands she would never look at me the same way again. I love Chloe like the younger sister I never had, but she could never understand what I have had to do to protect the people I care for. Even Ziva can't completely understand since she dosen't know the details of my operations. You're the only person I can talk to about everything I have to do who won't look at me differently."

"Yet I can't help but feel like it's my fault you got dragged into this life in the first place."

"Hey, I already told you I have no regrets. Now unless you have somewhere to be, how about we go for a drive?"

"I think I can spare another hour. Just let me get the tab."

"I don't think so. Burke, what do I owe you for our drinks?" He said, calling the man over, and ignoring the glare that Natasha was shooting him.

"It's on the house for your first night. Stay safe out there." He replied before walking away.

"Shall we?" Clark asked, and Natasha nodded, the two of them heading out the door and over to Clark's car where Natasha promptly held her hand out for the keys.

"If it was anyone else…" Clark muttered as he tossed her the keys.

"Oh my goodness, you're just as bad as Colson." She said as she got in the front seat, the Last Son of Krypton just shaking his head in response; she would never admit it, but Natasha was pleased, flattered even to be the only person that Clark trusted to drive his car. In their line of work, spies didn't have much to call their own so to trust her with one of the few things that he had to call his own showed Natasha how much their friendship meant to her former protégé. She smiled as she started the engine and drove out of the parking lot, laughing when Clark asked her if she was sure she wanted to leave her car.

"Barton picked me up. He told me to tell you he still owes you a drink, but he had a date that he couldn't reschedule."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Clark replied, making them both laugh.

"Clark, why are you so against being transferred?"

"I'm still a rookie, and I don't want to appear like a coward. That's not the sort of reputation I want to have. Besides, if SHIELD does have a mole, and if it's May or Ward then I want to be on hand to expose them. Then there's the fact that I don't want all my training to go to waste; if I ask for a transfer, odds are my clearance gets swiped, and I'm stuck being a paper pusher."

"Is that all? I'll make you a deal Clark...take a month and if nothing's panned out you take a transfer."

"Transfer to what, and why do you want me to transfer so badly?"

"I want you to transfer because I don't want to have to read a report where you got killed by whoever this Clairvoyant is. I don't want to lose one of the few friends...no the best friend I've ever had. Please don't ask me to do that."

"Hey don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

She didn't say anything, refusing to voice the words they both knew to be true; that one day even with all his power there was a chance that Clark could go up against a force or an opponent stronger than he was and he would lose. He would die, and there would be nothing Natasha could do about it. In that moment she made a silent promise. If anyone or anything took Clark from her they would die, no matter what the cost.

"I'm assuming since you want me to take a transfer you've given some thought as to what I would do after I left Colson's team."

"I have actually."

"And?"

"I thought you might be my partner."

"You never work with a partner." Clark said, completely shocked by her suggestion. The Black Widow taking on a partner was unheard of. In fact, she refused to work with anyone save Barton and even that was only when absolutely necessary.

"I've also never had someone that I can trust like I trust you." She said, stopping the car and looking into his eyes. Clark almost looked away under the intensity of her gaze. Instead he did something that shocked them both. He closed the distance between them and kissed her. For a moment Natasha froze as thoughts invaded her mind, thoughts of the last man who had kissed her, thoughts of the hell that he had put her through. However, that moment was all it took for Clark to pull back and shake his head.

"I'm so sorry Natasha. That was wrong, it was stupid, I-" He started, only to be cut off by her finger on his lips.

"Why? Why did you kiss me?" She asked, her face and voice betraying nothing.

"I like you Natasha, and I know that this is wrong, that you're my superior, that I'm being unprofessional but I don't care."

Natasha was silent, an internal battle waging inside her as memories invaded her mind. Memories that she wouldn't wish on anyone, well except the people who put them there in the first place. No one understood what she had been through, why she was so cold, why she was so distrusting. The last person that she had trusted had betrayed her in the worst way, and she was unsure whether or not she could take that risk again. She had managed to recover, to mend the pieces of her shattered soul, but she knew that if she let Clark in if she trusted him and he betrayed her, there would be no mending, no recovery. He would do what thousands had tried and failed to do. He would destroy her.

However, as she looked into his eyes, and she thought back on everything that had happened since they had first met Natasha knew that Clark would never betray her. For years Natasha Romanoff had sworn to never open her heart to anyone, said that love was for children and maybe it was. Did she love Clark Kent? She wasn't sure, but she knew she wanted to find out. So with that thought in mind Natasha Romanoff leaned over and kissed Clark Kent square on the lips.

For a moment Clark didn't do anything, such was his shock at Natasha's kiss; however, he quickly got over his shock and returned her kiss, the pair separating a moment later.

"I like you too Clark, but I need to take this slow. The last time I trusted someone..."

"We'll go as slow as you want to Natasha. To be honest, I'm not really good with the whole relationship thing either. The last time I let someone in, she died in my arms. I pretty much gave up on dating after that."

"Well you've got a leg up on me. I've never been on an actual date before."

"Well then, how about we change that? Can I take you to dinner?" He asked, and she just smiled and nodded.

"So if I'm going to take you to dinner, don't you think I should drive?"

"No, I like this car so I'll drive."

"Fine, but I'm buying." He said firmly, making her laugh.

"Alright, where to?" She asked just as both their phones went off.

"I'm gonna need a rain check on dinner."

"Me too. We just got a name on our dead guy. It's Alexander Pierce."

"That explains why I was told to get to headquarters ASAP. Colson should be there soon."

"Let's make sure we're there first." He replied, and she grinned before gunning the engine and flying into the air, the two of them racing towards the Helicarrier.

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please read and review and the next chapter should be up soon!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The moment they exited the car, Natasha walked over to where Colson and the rest of the team were standing, and promptly punched Ward in the face.

"What the-"

"I warned you not to call the Black Widow eye candy Ward." Clark said as the man stood up, rubbing the bruise that was now forming on his jaw.

"Consider yourself lucky...the last person who called me eye candy ended up dead."

"How did he die?" Fitz asked in a nervous voice.

"Not well." She replied simply, before turning towards Colson.

"How sure are we that Alexander Pierce is our dead man?"

"There's no doubt about it. DNA testing and dental records are both a perfect match."

"How did he die?"

"The testing pointed toward a cyanide capsule..." Simmons answered, making Natasha raise her eyebrow.

"You don't think so?"

"No I agree with the findings, it's just some others have...doubts shall we say." She said, looking pointidly towards May and Ward, both of whom returned her glare.

"You two believe something else caused Pierce's death?" Natasha asked.

"Agent Kent was interrogating Alexander Pierce and was present when he died. However, he refused to explain why he was questioning Pierce, despite his break of protocol. As we are all aware, rookies don't usually question suspects." May said, making Natasha almost roll her eyes at the other woman's words.

"I've already been informed as to Clark's reasons. Pierce 's death was a suicide, not a murder."

"Or perhaps you just don't want to admit that the great Black Widow made a mistake by training a traitor." May shot back, making Natasha pull her gun, pointing it at May's head.

"Natasha, she's not worth it. Let it go. We've got bigger things to worry about." Clark told her calmly.

"Call him a traitor again, and I'll blow your head off." She told the other agent sternly before placing her gun back in it's holster.

"That's enough people. Now Dr. Fitz, Dr. Simmons, I want that body off the BUS along with any research you have and delivered to our people. Then you are to forget the name Alexander Pierce. The same goes for the rest of you." Director Fury said, looking pointedly at Skye.

"Colson, Romanoff there's a briefing in five. This is officialy a level eight situation."

"Understood." Colson said, and Fury turned to leave when he was stopped by Natasha.

"Director, a word?" She asked, and he looked at her with his one good eye before nodding and walking out of earshot of the others, sans Clark who was smart enough to not listen in.

"This really isn't the-"

"The bastard's know."

"What?"

"Whoever is behind this, they know who Clark is. Whether or not they know about his gifts or his heritage is undetermined, but Pierce knew his name."

"Are you telling me we have a leak Agent Romanoff?"

"I'm telling you that I don't know. But yes, that's a possibility."

"What do you suggest?"

"What I suggest is that we bring him into the loop."

"Kent's a rookie."

"If there is a leak he is one of the few that we can trust not to be dirty."

"And if there is a leak, he could flush them out."

"We are not going to dangle him like bait. Besides, his talents are wasted on Colson's team."

"So what do you want from me?"

"I talked to him, and Clark agreed that if he-"

"Wait he agreed? Forgive me Agent Romanoff, but I was unaware that we were a democracy." Fury cut across, but Natasha kept going undettered by the Director's frustration.

"He agreed that if he hasn't made significant progress on whether or not the mole came from Colson's team in the next month he would take a transfer."

"Transfer to what?"

"My partner."

"You must be joking."

"Do I ever joke?"

"Okay, say for a second I agree to this, which I won't...why?"

"Because I have never had anyone I can trust as much as I trust him. Now what I am asking is that we give him the clearance now so that he has all the resources he needs."

"Plus it saves you the trouble of getting them covertly." Fury surmised, making Natasha frown.

"Are you questioning my loyalty?"

"Of course not. However, I need you to tell me now...can you make the hard call if it comes down to it? If he ever went rogue, if he was ever a risk to humanity could you put him down?"

"I can do what's required of me. But understand something...if anything happens to him and I have even the slightest suspicion that someone within SHIELD is responsible I will remind you just why they call me the Black Widow."

"I would expect nothing less."

For a moment the two just stared at each other, and then they walked back to where Colson's team was waiting, just as Fitz and Simmons were taking the body of Alexander Pierce off the BUS.

"Kent, congragulations. Welcome to level eight." Fury said, and Clark just nodded. May and Ward looked furious but held their tongues while Skye, Fitz and Simmons were wearing almost identical expressions of shock.

"C'mon we've got a briefing to get to." Colson said and the three SHIELD agents followed the Director down the hall and into a conference room.

"Agent Kent, this is Agent Sitwell, Agent Hand and Deputy Director Hill."

"Agents, m'am." Clark said by way of greeting.

"Manners, that is a change...just what have you been teaching him Romanoff?" Sitwell asked in a rather condescending tone.

"Fifteen ways to kill you in the next five seconds." Clark replied calmly, making Sitwell's smirk fall off his face.

"Anyway moving on...I'll cut to the chase people. Alexander Pierce is dead."

"One of the members of the World Security Council, the SHIELD oversight committee." Natasha said just loud enough for Clark to hear.

"Do we have any leads?" Hill asked, and Fury looked towards Clark, gesturing for him to speak.

"The only information we have at present is that Alexander Pierce was working for someone known only as the Clairvoyant. The identity of said person is unknown."

"Well then what do we know?" Agent Hand asked.

"We have strong evidence linking the Clairvoyant to the Rising Tide, but no clear idea what the end game is."

"If you had to guess?" Natasha asked, making Clark's frown deepen.

"If I had to guess, I'd say they want to build up an army. Otherwise why bother to go after Jonas Green?"

"A distraction to throw us off their real game?" Colson offered.

"At this point anything is possible. For now, we continue on as normal, and I don't need to tell anyone that this is to stay under wraps. Contact me at once if you find anything." Fury said, and the others just walked out, aknoweleging the Director's dismissal.

"Director, if I may make a suggestion?" Clark asked once the others had all left the room.

"Go ahead."

"The meteor freaks locked up in Belle Reve should be moved somewhere more secure."

"Colson told me what you did for Green, why can't you do the same for them?"

"John Green was a man who destroyed a wall. The meteor freaks in Belle Reve are murderers. Besides, none of them would take my help considering I put them in prison."

"Would they work with SHIELD?"

"Only until they saw a better opportunity come along. Their only loyalty is to themselves. Trust me, the second they see a chance at freedom without having to follow SHIELD protocol they would stab you in the back and I don't mean figuratively. Just something to think about."

With those words the Last Son of Krypton walked out of the room, praying to RAO that Fury wouldn't be so stupid as to ignore his warning. The Director had no idea what those kids were capable of, and if he was stupid enough as to let them out they could wipe out SHIELD if they were so inclined. In his mind's eye he saw each and every meteor freak he had ever put away, and he resolved to compile dossier's on all of them. Oh he was sure that SHIELD already had files, but there was something to be said for knowing your enemy. Now all he had to worry about was the enemy he didn't know. He walked back to his car, surprised to find Natasha leaning against the hood.

"If you were anyone else..." He muttered and she chuckled.

"But I'm not anyone else."

"No you are definitely one of a kind." He replied with a grin.

"Now, I believe I promised you dinner. Unless you've got to run off on assignment." He said, but she shook her head.

"No, I've got to be in London on Friday, but nothing until then. So where to?" She asked as she got in the driver's seat, laughing when she saw him scowl.

"There's a little place in Metropolis, about thirty minutes from here. I swear they make the best Italian I've ever had."

"Mario's it is then." She said, and Clark just looked at her.

"Just how long were you following me?"

"A couple months, give or take." She replied, and he just laughed as they took to the air.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot." He said and she smirked, her left hand going towards her gun, the redhead placing it back on the table just before she reached her weapon.

"What made you run off to Metropolis in the first place?"

Clark hesitated, unsure of whether he wanted to answer. Part of him didn't want to say anything, but the other part, the stronger part knew that he could trust Natasha with anything. After a minute he spoke.

"My biological father wanted me to become the 'perfect son' and I refused. I took some of the meteor rock and got rid of him. There was an explosion and my mom...she lost her baby. It was my fault, so I put on the ring and left as quick as I could. You know everything else." He finished, surprised when she took his hand.

"You couldn't have known what would happen. Don't blame yourself for things that you can't control. If you do, it will tear away at your soul. Promise me you won't blame yourself anymore. Please."

"I promise." He replied, and she smiled before leaning over and kissing him.

"Come with me." She said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" He replied, not sure what she was getting at. They had been driving in a comfortable silence, listening to a jazz station Natasha liked when she spoke her words catching Clark completely off guard.

"Come with me to London. I could use an extra pair of hands."

"I doubt you need the help, but it so happens that Colson's given the team the next week off provided nothing comes up."

"So is that a yes?"

"Yes, I'll go to London with you Tasha." He told her and she smiled as they came up to the Kent farm.

"I'll see you on Friday?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"I wasn't planning on waiting that long to see you. How about we grab coffee in the morning?"

"Sounds good. I'll pick you up at eight?"

"It's a date, and Natasha...not a scratch."

"Yes dear." She replied dryly, making him laugh before he kissed her, watching her drive off until she was out of sight.

**Belle Reve Penitentary**

The man walked down the hallway until he reached his destination. With a wave of his hand the door opened, making the prisoner look up.

"Who are you?"

"Who I am dosen't matter. All you need to know is that I represent the Clairvoyant, and we have an offer for you. Freedom from this prison."

"What's the catch?"

"The catch is that you kill Clark Kent."

"I accept."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next one will be up soon!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Son is everything alright?" His father asked as he came up the stairs of the loft where Clark was standing looking at the stars.

"Everything's fine dad." He replied, making Jonathan walk in front of his son.

"You know, I may not be a trained spy, but I know when something's wrong. Now what's going on Clark?"

"I can't say, it's classified."

"But it's bad." Jonathan surmised, and Clark nodded.

"There could be a lot of lives at risk. A lot of innocent people could get hurt or worse, and I'm not sure if I can stop it. All I can think about is what could happen to you or mom or Chloe or Natasha..."

"Nothing's going to happen son. We're protected, and Natasha can handle herself. You know, I may not like the idea of you working for the government, but Colson and Natasha showed me that not everyone is out to get you. Some of them want to help you." He finished, and Clark nodded.

"I wish I had all the answers but I don't. All I can tell you is to have faith that everything will work out. You'll stop whatever this is Clark." He said, before walking out of the barn, leaving the Last Son of Krypton alone with his thoughts. He wished he shared his dad's optimism, but there was a part of him that was worried. What if he failed? What if he was unable to stop this Clairvoyant, and his friends and family died as a result?

His mind flashed back to his meeting with Cassandra more than a year earlier. The old blind woman had shown him the future, had shown Clark standing alone surrounded by the graves of everyone he cared for, the young man forever doomed to a lonely existence. He shook his head, trying to clear the images from his mind. He wouldn't allow that to happen, he couldn't. The thought of losing his parents, Pete, Lex, Chloe, Natasha... those thoughts were too much to bear.

He sighed and walked out of the barn, knowing he wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

"Isn't it a little late for target practice?" Director Fury asked as he walked into the room that housed SHIELD's shooting range. It was just after four in the morning, and Fury had been at SHIELD all night trying to find something on the Clairvoyant without any success. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack, except he didn't have the first clue where the haystack was.

He watched as Clark expertly took apart the gun he had been using before turning to face the Director, his expression blank.

"Couldn't sleep, figured I'd get in some practice. That a crime?"

"Not at all. It's commendable actually. Now what's on your mind Agent Kent?"

For a moment Clark was silent, and then he spoke.

"We potentially have a leak, there's a madman planning who knows what, and we know nothing! How are we supposed to stop someone we can't even find?"

"We'll find the Clairvoyant. It's only a matter of time."

"Time we don't have. By the time we find out who the Clairvoyant is the war could already be lost."

"That's not going to happen. I'm keeping everything under wraps-"

"And that's another thing! You're keeping things from me, from Colson, from Hill, from Natasha, things you know or suspect about the Clairvoyant."

"Director's prerogative."

"Bull. You don't trust us, plain and simple."

"I don't trust anyone. Occupational hazard."

"That's your problem. How are we supposed to trust you if you can't trust us?"

"Trust isn't the issue. Obedience is."

"Obedience? You're so full of it. But since you want to talk about obedience, let's talk about it. Natasha has been nothing but obedient to you, but the second it suits you, you hang her out to dry. You blow her cover with a band of physcos, and for what? To test me, to see if you could make me tick?"

"I trusted that you would want to know where she was."

"You gambled with her life! But then again, I guess everyone's expendable."

"It's the risk we take when we decide to do this job and protect humanity."

"Don't talk to me about protecting humanity. You don't care about humanity, you only care about your end result, and what's worse you don't care how many people die as long as you get it."

"If it comes down to one life lost versus a thousand then you're damn right."

"No matter who's life it is?"

"Like you said, everyone's expendable."

"Maybe to you, but not to me. So let me make one thing clear right now...you pull any shit like you did in Budapest ever again and I will personally put a bullet in you."

"So what, if a SHIELD agent dies you'll try to kill me?"

"Let me spell it out for you Nick. If anything happens to Natasha Romanoff and I even think that you're responsible, I'll kill you myself, and I will go through all of SHIELD if that's what it takes."

With those words he walked out of the shooting range, leaving Nick Fury alone. The Director smiled at the young man's retreating back; whether he knew it or not Clark had passed his test.

"Is this a movie theater or a coffee joint?" Natasha asked, and Clark laughed as they got out of the car and walked towards the Talon.

"Both actually." Clark replied as they walked in, seeing the local hangout mostly empty at the early hour.

"Well well Clark Kent. I have to admit, you're the last person I thought would walk through the door." Lana said by way of greeting.

"So what can I get you?" She asked a minute later when he didn't respond.

"Two coffees." Natasha spoke up.

"Coming right up." She said before walking away to make them, Clark sighing as she left.

"I'm sorry Natasha, I shouldn't have brought you here. I guess I wasn't thinking."

"It's fine. But what's her problem?"

"She's my ex. I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to-"

"Clark, enough. It's fine. Just tell me do I need to be worried?"

"Of course not." He told her with a smile which she happily returned.

"Now what's really going on Clark? There's more to your mood than an ex-girlfriend with some issues."

"It's just stress from the job, that's all." He replied. Natasha knew it was more than that, but she just nodded allowing the matter to drop; Clark would tell her when he was ready.

"So what's the job?" Clark asked once they were off the ground and away from prying ears. The trip to London would take the better part of fifteen hours so the two spies had plenty of time to go over mission objectives.

"You make it sound like we're going to rob a bank." She said with a laugh, which the Last Son of Krypton returned.

"I've done that actually. Took about thirty seconds."

"Twenty-five actually." She replied, and he chuckled.

"Okay, twenty-five. The point is we're not actually robbing a bank, so I guess the correct term is what's the mission?"

"Our mission should we choose to accept it is to infiltrate a party being thrown by the British Defense Minister, Mr. Franklin Hughes. Once that's done, we find a way to get him out of the party and to a prearranged SHIELD safe house at which point we interrogate him, and discover what his connection is to the Rising Tide."

"You're not going to detonate in five seconds are you?" He asked, and she grinned, but shook her head.

"Why do we think Hughes is connected to the Rising Tide, and just how far are we allowed to go when it comes to 'interrogating' him?"

"A contact of mine told me that he had captured a member of a Rising Tide cell operating in Great Britain. It took a while, but he broke just before you came out of Fury's office, and confessed that he was getting his information from Hughes or someone in his inner circle. It's how they managed to find out about Jonas Green, and also why Green's incident with his powers stayed out of the media. Instead, it was classified under the State Secret's Act, which means only Hughes and his team have access to it. At least in London." She finished, and Clark laughed at the truth in her statement. SHIELD had people everywhere. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that eventually that would pose a problem.

"So let me guess...your contact called you because officially SHIELD has no jurisdiction in London. We get what we want, and the British government avoids a major incident."

"Exactly. Now as for how far we can go when it comes to Hughes interrogation...we go as far as necessary." She said darkly, and Clark just nodded. The thought of using torture may not be pleasant, but he would do whatever it took to stop the Clairvoyant.

"So, how are we getting into this party?" Clark asked, knowing that they couldn't very well go in guns blazing.

"We've got false identities. I'm supposedly a Russian fashion model and you're a wealthy American Defense Contractor who's there to talk business with Hughes since they're looking to outsource some contracts."

"It makes sense. Hughes would be so focused on you that I could get a better deal, or in our case we find a way to get him out of the party."

"Exactly. But there is one thing that absolutely has to happen."

"What's that?"

"You have to save me a dance." She said, and he grinned.

"That's one order I will happy to comply with. Now, enough shop talk. Tell me about you."

"It's all in my file."

"No, that's the Black Widow's file. I want to know about Natasha Romanoff. What are your favorite type of flowers, what do you do on your days off, that sort of thing."

Natasha didn't answer for a few minutes, and then she suddenly started laughing.

"Did I say something funny?" Clark asked, and she shook her head.

"No, not at all. I just can't believe the situation I'm in. I've never had a conversation with anyone where they've wanted to know about me as Natasha and not the Black Widow. It's always been the mission, the next kill...I never would have thought that anyone would care about me for anything besides my skill set. But then I met you, and everything changed. I'm happy Clark. For the first time in my life I'm truly happy and it's all because of you."

"I know the feeling. You remember the first night I managed to beat you?" He asked, and she nodded, smiling with pride at the memory. In that moment he had truly earned her trust, because he proved he would do anything to defend those he cared for.

"Right before I knocked you out the window, I had a thought. You were cordial with me, at times you were even borderline friendly, but there was one thing that I knew with absolute certainty. I wasn't Natasha Romanoff's type." He finished, but she shook her head.

"That's not true. At the time, I was keeping myself detached, trying to remain professional. In other words, I was the Black Widow, not Natasha Romanoff. I'm sorry about that by the way. I was just trying to protect myself, even if I wasn't willing to acknowledge it at the time."

She fell silent, but Clark knew that now was not the time to say anything. Natasha was opening up to him, and if he spoke now she would just retreat back behind her walls again. So he stayed silent while she gathered her thoughts, and after a moment she spoke.

"I...I spent so long being alone, hating myself and the person who betrayed me that I didn't know anything else. I didn't know any other way to live, and I...I just don't want to be alone again." She whispered softly, and Clark wrapped his arms around her.

"I promise you Tasha, you will never have to be alone again."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter will be up soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Does SHIELD usually treat it's agents this well or is it just because you're Fury's favorite?" Clark asked as they walked into the hotel. It was five star all the way, even better than the penthouse that Clark had acquired during his brief stint working for Morgan Edge. He almost grinned at the irony that the night he had met Natasha had been the same night he screwed over Morgan. It was funny how the universe worked, but Clark figured that after all the crap he had put up with in his life, he was well past due for some good fortune.

"Just between us, I think it's more because I'm Fury's favorite. Officially, it's because no one with the reputations that you and I are supposed to have would ever dream of staying in a different hotel." She said, the sarcasm evident in her voice. Clark chuckled, but nodded his head in understanding. While the hotel may be ideal for the rich and famous, from a tactical standpoint it was an accident just waiting to happen. There were four entrances just from the check-in desk, not to mention the three elevators and two staircases that led to the upper floors. While that may prove beneficial for hotel guests, it could make keeping track of a target a real problem, even if someone was as skilled as Clark Kent and Natasha Romanoff. Thank Rao for Kryptonian abilities.

"Hi, reservation?" The Consierge asked, once they walked up to the front desk.

"Yes, three nights. The reservation should be under Stewart." Natasha said.

"Of course, here's the key to your room. Your luggage was placed there this morning per your office's request. Will there be anything else?"

"No, thank you." Clark said before the two headed up the stairs, not saying a word until they were in the hotel room. SHIELD had already checked the room for bugs, but the two did it themselves; it wasn't that they didn't trust SHIELD (well actually that was part of it), but neither of them had survived their various adventures without gaining a certain paranoia.

"You do realize that killing the consierge could kind of blow our cover." Clark quipped, once they had ascertained that the room was free of monitoring devices.

"Well maybe she should learn to not gawk at my boyfriend." Natasha replied, making Clark smile and kiss her.

"You're cute when you're jealous. Besides, how do you think I feel about all the guys that are going to be gawking at you tomorrow?" He asked, making her groan. That was the major downside of this assignment. Since her cover was as a Russian fashion model, she actually had to participate in the fashion show that was taking place over the next three days, while Clark would be going over the details of his supposed contracts with a SHIELD expert until they were satisfied he knew them backwards and forwards. The actual mission wasn't going to take place until the night they were due to leave, but appearances had to be kept up.

"What is it Chloe?" Clark asked when his phone rang.

"How solid is this? You're one hundred percent sure? Alright thanks." He said hanging up the phone.

"Problems?"

"Potentially. I told Fury to move them somewhere more secure!" He burst out, making Natasha raise an eyebrow in question.

"One of the prisoners escaped from Belle Reve. Or more accurately they were let out. Chloe dosen't know who got out, and there's no leads as to who released them."

"Do you think they know we're here?"

"I honestly don't know. The only thing I know for certain is that whoever got out is going to want to kill me."

"Then we kill them first." Natasha replied, and Clark nodded. Ever since he had joined SHIELD he had realized just how naive he used to be; locking a bunch of dangerous criminals in a mental institution was pointless. All it did was give them another chance to kill someone later, and that was a risk Clark was no longer willing to take. Gone were the days where he would hold back. Now if one of the meteor freaks tried to kill him he would respond in kind. Was it wrong? Maybe so, but if it meant saving his own life or the life of an innocent person he would do what he had to.

"No, no, don't...don't touch her, NO!"

Clark bolted up in the bed, feeling Natasha's arms wrap around him. He sighed, feeling his racing heart slow at her touch. While they hadn't had sex as neither of them were anywhere near ready for that, there was only one bed, and Natasha absolutely refused to allow Clark to sleep on the floor. Now he was glad that she did so.

"It was just a nightmare." She said, but Clark didn't respond, still consumed by the fears of his mind. It had seemed so real, and he couldn't help the shiver that ran down his spine.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'd rather just forget it but...it seemed so real. Something went wrong, the Clairvoyant got the drop on us and you died...they killed you right in front of me. I couldn't stop them, I tried...dear God I tried."

"It's okay Clark, nothing's going to happen."

"We can't know that for sure!"

"You're right, we can't. All we can do is prepare for every eventuality, and then adapt to the situation as it happens." She said calmly, keeping her expression blank.

"And if we're wrong? What then Natasha? All it takes is one misstep, one wrong choice, one slip up and we die!"

"You can't do this. You can't live life worried about what if's. If you do, it will tear you apart."

"I know, I just...I don't want to lose you. I don't want to have to bury someone else that I-" The word halted in his throat. It was one simple word, one syllable but he couldn't bring himself to say it, not yet. He now knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he loved Natasha Romanoff, but he also knew that he didn't want her to feel any pressure to love him in return. So he would wait for however long it took, and when the time was right he would tell her.

"I know Clark. Believe me, I know." She said kissing him softly. And she did know. She knew what would happen to her if she had to bury Clark. However, she also knew that as much as she wanted to say those three little words, she just couldn't. Not yet. It would mean dropping her last defense, shattering the last vestiges of the person that she had been for her entire life. It would make it final, make it real, and she just...she was scared. Natasha Romanoff, the best agent the KGB ever had, the final and most dangerous member of the Red Room program, Nick Fury's right hand, and arguabely the most dangerous woman in the world was scared to say three little words. She knew her fear was irrational, knew that Clark would never hurt her like the last person she trusted, but the fear was there nonetheless. So instead she was kissing him, both of them trying to put everything they couldn't say out loud into the kiss; it was tender, and passionate yet when they pulled back both were gasping for breath. They looked into each others eyes for what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only an instant before Natasha laid her head against his chest and the two fell asleep, the remainder of the night spent free of the demons that haunted them. In later years when their story was retold, some would ask if that was the night they first made love. The two would just look at each other and share a smile before shaking their heads. No they hadn't made love that night. Instead, they had shared something that in many ways was just as intimate, but all the more special for what it meant to the two of them.

"We've gone over this a hundred times!"

"And we will go over it a hundred more until I am convinced that you know the plan."

"I get the plan. I wait until he is by himself, and then I kill him. It won't be that hard."

"Don't be so sure. Clark Kent is not the same person who put you in Belle Reve."

"Oh I have no doubt that he's changed. But then again so have I."

"Yes you have my dear. Yes you have."

The young woman smiled as she looked out the window of her temporary home. She had changed in more ways than one, and soon Clark Kent would know every single one of them. Then and only then would he be allowed to die.

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter will be up soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"I never thought I would be looking forward to a mission as much as I do right now." Clark said as he finished putting on his suit for the British Defense Minister's party that evening.

"I know what you mean. If I have to see one more person leering at me I think I'm going to shoot something."

"Well, I'm probably biased, but you were the most beautiful woman on that stage." Clark said, and she laughed as she came up behind him, turning him around and kissing him before straightening his tie.

"You're right you are biased. But it's sweet."

"And you are definitely going to be the envy of every woman at that party tonight." He replied, looking at the black dress that hugged her curves. Natasha felt her face grow warm under his gaze and she knew she was blushing. It wasn't that she hadn't heard comments like that before because she had, more times than she could or cared to remember. However, something was different about when Clark said it. Maybe because with him it wasn't just a come on so that he could get her into bed. No, Clark genuinely believed what he was saying, and what's more he would still think that regardless of what she was wearing. All he wanted was to be with her, and to someone who had spent her entire life being valued for her body or her skill set that meant more than Natasha could ever properly express. So she just smiled, and kissed him softly on the lips. A moment later the two parted, and Clark offered Natasha his arm which she promptly took and the two exited the hotel room; it was time to go have a chat with a traitor.

"Mr. Stewart, pleasure to finally meet you in person sir. And this must be Natalia." He said, shaking hands with Clark and bringing Natasha's hand to his lips to kiss it. Natasha smiled, but it was hard not to roll her eyes. Hughes was so obvious a child could have figured out what he wanted.

"Please call me Jim."

"Then you simply must call me Frank. Now tell me Jim, how did you manage to get hold of such a lovely woman?" He asked, and Clark chuckled, although all he really wanted to do was hit the man. British Defense Minister or not the man was staring at Natasha like she was a piece of meat, and he wasn't even subtle about it.

"Honestly, I think she got hold of me. I had my back against a wall and she helped me get out of it so to speak. Natalia is as ruthless as she is beautiful, and I'm just lucky it was my business associates that felt her wrath as opposed to me." He said, sharing a grin with Natasha. If Hughes actually knew the real context behind what Clark was saying he wouldn't be smiling. He would be running as far away from the woman he was currently ogling as he could get. As it was he wouldn't be smiling for much longer.

"I have no doubt that there is more to you than meets the eye my dear. Perhaps I could steal you for a dance later and we can discuss your talents in more detail."

"I would like that. Right now however, I think you promised me a dance?" She asked, turning to Clark.

"I believe I did. If you'll excuse me a moment Frank?"

"Of course. I'm sure we will have ample time to discuss business this evening."

"I look forward to it." Clark replied. And he was. He was looking forward to every second of 'discussions' with the Rising Tide member. However, that could wait. Right now he had the most beautiful woman in the party in his arms, and he fully intended to enjoy himself.

"I swear that slime is so obvious a child could tell what he wanted." Natasha muttered as they moved around the dance floor, keeping her voice low just in case.

"Oh believe me I know. It took everything I had not to say screw the mission and drag him off for interrogation right there." Clark replied, and she smiled.

"Well I for one am glad you didn't. I would hate to have to explain to Fury why we caused an international incident."

"Oh great RAO, I can practically see all the paperwork that we'd be filling out. Not to mention that Fury would give us hell for the why."

"You're right." She replied quietly, making Clark look into her eyes, concern spreading across his features.

"Tasha, are you sure that this is what you want?" He asked softly, and she raised an eyebrow for a moment, her gaze hardening as she realized what he was asking. Did he still not get it, did he still not understand how she felt about him? Did he think that she let everyone see her the way he had seen her?

"Don't you ever think about asking me that ever again. Do you understand me?" She asked softly, her tone more serious than he had ever heard.

"Yes. I just want you to be happy Tasha."

"I know, but I thought I already made it clear. I've never been happier than I am with you." She said with a grin which he returned before leaning down and kissing her.

"Promise me we won't have to have this discussion again."

"I promise, and I'm sorry. That was unnecessary and unprofessional."

"You're right...But I think I can let you slide this once."

"That's a relief. I never want to find myself on your bad side." He said, and she chuckled.

"I think you could handle it." She said playfully, and he smirked.

"All the same, I think I'll pass. Now unless I'm very much mistaken our host is coming over here to steal you away from me so like the man said...it's showtime." He said, and she grinned.

"Excuse me, may I cut in?" Hughes asked, and Clark nodded, walking over to the bar and signaling the bartender for a drink.

"Great party isn't it?

"Well well, I was wondering who it was that got out. I would say it's good to see you again Desiree, but I'd be lying." He said as he looked into the eyes of Desiree Atkins.

"Now, now whatever happened to Miss Atkins?"

"She got locked up in prison. Now just in case you're wondering what you're feeling pressing against your back, it's the silencer on my Glock 18. Cry for help, alert anyone in anyway, or in short do anything other than exactly what I tell you, and I will pull the trigger. Say yes if you understand."

"Yes." She whispered; looking into his eyes, she saw that he was serious, and she knew that if she tried anything now he would kill her. She decided to just bide her time. After all, she had waited this long for revenge, she could wait a little longer. She didn't realize just how long she would be waiting.

"Stand up, and walk beside me. Remember one wrong move-"

"And you kill me, I get it. What assurances do I have that you won't kill me anyway?"

"You don't. You're just going to have to trust me."

"It's not like I have any choice."

"Oh you have a choice. It's just between certain death and the possibility to live and see tomorrow." He replied as the two walked across the room and out a side door.

"What now?" She asked, and Clark smirked.

"Now we go for a ride." He said, slamming the gun into the back of the woman's skull and knocking her unconscious. He picked her up and sped away, no one being the wiser.

"So I see you got yours." He said twenty minutes later as Natasha got out of a car, Franklin Hughes slumped over in the passenger side.

"It was easier than you would think. I flirted a little, and he was more than willing to let me drive. He was so focused on my chest all I had to do was hit him with one of the sleep darts. But what do you mean I got mine?"

"Oh, I found out who escaped from Belle Reve. It was Desiree Atkins."

"The one who married Lex and tried to seduce you?" Natasha asked softly. Clark had spent a few hours of their flight telling her of his various adventures, so she knew almost as much about the resident meteor freaks of Smallville as the one responsible for putting them in jail in the first place. Needless to say, Desiree Atkins was one that she held a particular animosity toward.

"One and the same."

"You take Hughes, Atkins is mine."

"I was hoping you would say that." Clark said with a cold smile. Natasha smiled and kissed him before walking into the house where an unconscious Desiree Atkins waited. Meanwhile Clark walked over to the car, threw Hughes over his shoulder and marched into the house, heading for the room opposite Natasha. Once inside he shut the door and all but threw Hughes into the chair.

"Who? Jim, where are we? What's going on?"

"Where you are dosen't matter. All that does matter is what I need to know."

"Look we can talk business later-"

"Oh I'm afraid you misunderstand me. I'm not interested in your defense contracts. What I am interested in is your connection to the Rising Tide."

"This is ridiculous! I'm going to-" Hughes burst out as he tried to stand.

"You're going to sit your ass down and tell me what I want to know. You see, I know more ways to cause pain than you can possibly imagine, and you made the mistake of trying to get lucky with my girlfriend. That makes me want to hurt you based on sheer principal, so I suggest you tell me what I want to know before I give into that impulse."

"Do what you will. It won't matter."

"Oh really.?"

"I am the British Minister of Defense! If people haven't noticed me missing by now they soon will, and then there will be no place for you or your girl to hide."

"Who says we need to hide? You see, you cleverly told your people that you would be busy tonight, so they won't bother you unless the country is under attack. So I have the entire night to get the answers I need? The only question is how long are you going to lie because that will determine how much pain you go through."

"Lie? What do you mean lie? I told you, I have no connection to the Rising Tide."

Clark just sighed before breaking two of the man's fingers, placing his hand over his mouth as he screamed.

"We caught the leader of your Rising Tide cell and we broke him. We know that he gets his information from you. Now you have eight more fingers for me to break, so I would suggest you start talking."

"Go to-"

"Now it's five. Do you want to go for three?"

Hughes shook his head, seeing the darkness in the young man's eyes.

"Good. You talk, and I don't hurt you anymore. If you don't...well I don't really need to say what will happen if you don't. Now, why would you betray your country. Why would you sell secrets to the Rising Tide?"  
>"I was defending my country from freaks and monsters that could potentially harm her."<p>

"Bull. You're a traitor, plain and simple. Now, what do you know about the Clairvoyant?"

"Ah you're SHIELD aren't you?"

"Who I am dosen't matter. Who is the Clairvoyant?"

"I don't know."

"Then let's start with what you do know. Who is the spy you have within SHIELD?"

"Oh we have many. I could not begin to tell you them all. However, if you give me your word as an agent not to kill me then I will tell you the name of the one I do know."

"You have my word as an Agent of SHIELD that I will not kill you."

"Grant Ward. He is the one you want."

"Thank you." Clark said before shooting him in the stomach.

"You said-"

"I gave you my word as Agent Kent, not as Natasha Romanoff's boyfriend. May God have mercy on your soul." He said before shooting him in the head. He opened the door just in time to hear a gunshot, and met Natasha as she walked out of the room a moment later.

"Did she give you anything?" He asked, but she shook her head.

"Her only contact was with Hughes. She was supposed to kill you, but that's all she knew. Did he tell you anything?"

"He didn't know who the Clairvoyant was, but he did know of a mole within SHIELD. It's Ward. But he's just one of many, according to Hughes."

"And he didn't know who the others were?" She asked, and Clark shook his head.

"We need to let Fury know about this."

"Not just yet Tasha. I want to talk to Ward first. I think there's a weakness we may be able to exploit."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter will be up soon!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Are you okay?"

Clark turned, and offered Natasha a smile but shook his head.

"I don't know. I just tortured a man and shot him in the head, and I don't feel the least bit guilty. In fact, I enjoyed it! It felt like justice for what he was planning to do to you."

"And you're worried that you don't feel guilty. You're afraid that you're losing your humanity."

"Ironic coming from an alien I know, but yes. What happens if I wake up one day and I don't even recognize myself anymore?"

"That's not going to happen. And do you know why?" She asked, and he shook his head.

"First off because you didn't torture or kill him for the sake of it. You did it to protect me. Secondly because I intend to keep reminding you just how good a man you are for as long as you'll let me."

"What are you saying Natasha?" Clark asked softly, all thought of his guilt now gone. The two stared into each others eyes, completely forgetting the fact that they were on a plane or that there was a flight attendant back in business class that could come in at any moment. First class had it's privileges, but there was still a chance. However, in that moment two of the best agents SHIELD would ever produce lost focus. Because in that moment there was no SHIELD, no Clairvoyant, no meteor freaks...There were no walls between them. Instead, it was just Clark Kent and Natasha Romanoff standing on the edge of a proverbial cliff. Now all that remained was to see if they would jump.

"I'm saying that I have no intention of leaving you ever. I'm saying that I can't imagine my life without you in it. I love you Clark."

For a moment Clark just looked into her eyes, unable to speak as he realized just what he was seeing. He knew that he saw a Natasha Romanoff that was vastly different from the Black Widow persona that she showed the rest of the world, and even different from the one she showed to Barton or Colson. They saw Natasha, but it was still a vastly different Natasha from what he saw. However, as he looked at her now he knew that he was seeing the Natasha that she never showed anyone, the Natasha that stayed behind impenetrable defenses, the Natasha that had pieced together her shattered soul after the worst kind of betrayal. In that moment he couldn't imagine loving her more.

"I love you too Natasha, and I am so sorry that I waited so long to tell you. I just didn't-"

"Didn't want me to feel pressured to say it back?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Thank you. I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me."

He just smiled before leaning in and kissing her, telling her without words that he already knew.

"So, what is this advantage you think we have over Ward?"

"One word. Skye."

"Skye the computer hacker that you two turned?"

"Well it was more Ward and Colson, but yeah."

"So what are you suggesting? That we put a gun to her head and make him talk?"

"Nothing so cold, although the threat of her being killed in front of him isn't entirely off the table. However, I think we just need for him to make a choice. Skye or the Clairvoyant?"

"So what, you're going to appeal to Ward's sense of morality when it comes to Skye?"

"No, I am going to look him in the eye and tell him I know. I know that he loves her, and that he has a choice to make. He can either help us bring down the Clairvoyant and in the process possibly have something with the woman he loves or he can watch as I shoot her in the head after telling her exactly what kind of a man he is. The last thing he will ever see will be the look of betrayal on her face."

"You're hedging an awful lot on a hunch."

"Just have a little faith. Besides, if he says no we can always kill him later."

"Well there is that." She replied with a laugh.

"I just called Fury, but I didn't tell him about Ward."

"Okay. Colson said we're supposed to have a mission in a couple days so if you wanted to find some reason to unexpectedly show up..."

"I'll just say we have to go over some new intel on the Clairvoyant, which is true and then we can deal with Ward. Then once the mission's over we can find something to do."

"What do you mean when the mission's over?" Clark asked, and she smiled.

"Clark, regardless of whether or not you take a transfer, you're my partner. I hope Colson managed to survive with you gone because I don't intend to go on assignment unless you have my back. If I do, then it's only because there's no other choice."

"Even if you don't see me, I'll always have your back. I'll be there before you can blink." He said and she smiled for a moment before a single tear ran down her cheek.

"Are you okay?" He asked, but she shook her head.

"I was just thinking about Budapest. If you hadn't gotten there..." Her voice trailed off and she suddenly buried her face into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her, silently cursing Fury. She should never have been in that situation in the first place.

"I did though, and I will always be there. But please don't sell yourself short, you could've gotten out of there any time you wanted."

"No I couldn't have."

"What are you talking about? Of course you-"

"I don't mean physically. I was...I was scared Clark. I may not have shown it, but I was terrified. I didn't say a word because I was making sure I was breathing. If those bastards had gotten their hands on me..."

Her voice trailed off, and Clark just held her, knowing that now wasn't the time to say anything.

"Back in Russia during my training they sent me on an operation and then blew my cover. Only that time no one came for me..." Her words trailed off and Clark just held her, telling her it would be okay. Inwardly he was seething, filled with a rage that he had never felt before, not even when he saw Ryan or Kyla die. He and Fury were going to have words, and the Director had best pray to God he didn't know about this or he would die slowly and painfully.

"So I'll see you in an hour?" Natasha asked, and Clark nodded. They were going to have dinner with the Kent's, Pete and Chloe at a restaurant in Metropolis. Of course, the others didn't know he was bringing Natasha but he figured there wasn't a better time to introduce his family to his girlfriend. Of course the Kent's had met Agent Romanoff but they hadn't met Natasha and all Chloe knew was what she saw in SHIELD's files while Pete hadn't met Natasha in any capacity.

"I love you." She said, and he smiled.

"I love you too. I'll see you in an hour." He said and then he sped away, coming to a stop a moment later.

"Excuse me, is Director Fury in? It's urgent that I speak with him" Clark asked, showing agent outside the Director's office his ID.

"Just a moment. Director, I have an agent Kent to see you, he says it's urgent."

"Go right in."

"Thank you." Clark replied, giving her a smile as he walked in.

However, once the door to the office shut behind him there was no trace of a smile. Instead he just glared at Fury before he spoke, his voice as cold as ice.

"Did you know?"

"Excuse me?"

"Did you know?! Did you know what they did to her?"

"I'm afraid you're going to have to be more specific."

"When you blew her cover to test me, you put Natasha through hell. She could barely breath because she was remembering what happened during her training with the Russians. So I will ask you one more time...did you know what the Russians did to her?!"

"No. I swear to you, I had no idea. I know you don't trust me, and I deserve that but if I had known I never would have put her through that. Promise me that you'll take care of her."

"I promise, but don't tell her I said anything."

"About what?" He asked, and Clark just nodded.

"You know, I was wrong...You do care about people."

"My grandfather worked in an elevator. He'd go home with a brown bag full of ones. On the way he'd say hi, people would say hi back. Time passed, walk home got harder. He'd say hi, they'd say keep on steppin. Every so often some punk with a switchblade would come up and tell him to open the bag. He showed em the bag full of ones...and a loaded twenty-two caliber. My grandfather cared about people, he just didn't trust em. Neither did I. Let me be clear...I am trusting you with the closest thing I have to a daughter. If you break her heart I will end you."

"I understand, and Nick...thank you."

"No, thank you Clark. Oh before I forget, did you find anything out?"

"We have to keep this very close to the vest. The Clairvoyant has more than a couple spies in SHIELD. I don't know how many and I don't know who, but we definitely have a leak." He said, and Fury nodded.

"You have a name, but you think they can be saved don't you?"

"Hypothetically if I did, what would you say?"

"Hypothetically? Good luck." He replied, and Clark nodded before walking out the door of the Director's office and racing back to the house where he threw on a shirt and jeans. He laughed as he looked in the mirror. It had been so long since he wore anything but a standard issue SHIELD uniform or a suit that he had forgotten what it was like to wear normal clothes.

"Good, I'm not under dressed."

Clark turned, seeing Natasha standing there in a black shirt, white jacket and blue jeans wearing a pair of brown boots.

"You look perfect."

"I figured I'd pick you up, then you could just drop me off. That way I didn't keep your car for too long."

"Our car." He said, making her raise an eyebrow in question.

"I have a rule that no one touches Tasha. But I think for the woman I love, and the person I named the car after I can make an exception." He said, and she smiled before walking over and kissing him.

"Thank you. Now I need to know...you went and talked to Fury didn't you?" She asked, and he nodded unable to meet her gaze. She had trusted him with her heart, with secret's that she never told anyone, and he went and told her boss. In less than an hour he had ruined the best relationship he had ever had.

"Thank you."

"What?" He asked, unable to believe that he had heard her correctly.

"Thank you for defending my honor. Thank you for caring enough, for loving me enough to demand answers."

"You deserve them. By the way, he told me that if I broke his daughter's heart he'd kill me."

"I don't see that happening anytime soon." She replied, kissing him softly before the two walked out to the car Clark opening the passenger side door for Natasha before walking around to the driver's side and getting in.

"So what's the cover story? I mean Pete dosen't know the first thing about me working for SHIELD."

"Do you trust him?"

"With my life. There's only been one guy I've trusted as much as I do Pete and he died."

"Ryan James." She said softly, and he nodded.

"Then we tell him the truth. A watered down version obviously, but enough to put him on his guard."

"Are you sure that's wise? I mean you can't be forced to give up what you don't know."

"You're right, but with the threat from the Clairvoyant we can't afford for Pete or Chloe to get captured and be used against you. The same thing goes for your parents...which is why we need to train them."

"Oh hell no! I told Fury they were out! They get to keep their lives!"

"That's what we would be making sure of! Use your head for a minute Clark. We know SHIELD is compromised, but until we know just how far the leak goes we can't risk showing our hand. That means we have to continue with business as usual. However, if someone working for the Clairvoyant suspects that we're onto them they will not hesitate to go after your family to get to you. Now I'm not suggesting they go through what you did and become agents, but they need to know enough so that if it comes down to it they can protect themselves."

"I wish this wasn't necessary." He said softly.

"I know, but we have to prepare for the worst case scenario." She replied, and he nodded his head in resignation. He may not like it, but Natasha was right.

"Clark Kent! Where the hell have you been man?" Pete asked as the two walked up to the table where his parents sat with Chloe.

"I've been busy."

"I can see that." He replied, and Clark and Natasha laughed.

"Pete, Chloe, Mom, dad, this is my girlfriend Natasha Romanoff. Natasha, this is my family."

"Nice to meet you all." She said, and they returned the greeting while Chloe shot him a knowing glance.

"So what's been going on while I've been in Metropolis?" Clark asked, and Pete groaned.

"Well the football team sucks without you. The new quarterback can't throw to save his life." Pete replied, making Natasha raise an eyebrow.

"You never mentioned you played football."

"You never asked." He shot back, and she just chuckled.

"So Natasha, what do you do?" Chloe asked, making Pete and Clark roll their eyes.

"Oh I think you already know the answer to that Chloe. You did find my file after all."

"Why do I get the feeling your girlfriend's not exactly the average person you meet in Metropolis Clark?"

"Because Pete, neither Natasha or I are exactly what you'd call average. Now remember what I told you about my gifts, how we have to keep them under wraps?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper, making Pete nod.

"This is another one of those things. Chloe did you tell Pete about what you found?" He asked, and the blond shook her head. She wouldn't talk about SHIELD without Clark's permission.

"Pete have you ever heard of SHIELD?"

"Just rumors...some secret government black ops group, with more authority than the CIA, FBI or DOD combined."

"Well they're not just rumors. Natasha and I are both Agents of SHIELD."

"You didn't go to some private school did you?"

"No, I spent three months getting my ass kicked by SHIELD's best." He said, making Natasha chuckle.

"You knew about this?" He asked Chloe and she nodded.

"It's classified intel. I shouldn't even be telling you what I am telling you, but you need to be on your guard."

"Why? What's going on Clark?"

"That's need to know. All you need to know is that aside from the people at this table, you can't trust anyone. Also, be ready to be up before dawn tomorrow."  
>"You're kidding me."<p>

"Look at me Pete. Do I look like I'm kidding you?" Clark asked, and Pete shook his head. Clark had actually never looked more serious.

"You are going to hurt a lot over the next couple weeks, but it will pay off. Clark and I are going to teach you to defend yourselves so that if something happens, if it comes down to kill or be killed you won't freeze up and die."

"This isn't going to be a daily thing is it?" Chloe asked, and Clark laughed but shook his head.

"No Chloe, but you will learn to protect yourself." He said calmly.

"So, what's good here?" Natasha asked, setting the table roaring with laughter.

**A/N: So a lot happened in this chapter, and I hope you all enjoyed it. I know my author;s notes are usually short, but I want to address something I know people are going to ask about and that is Natasha's character in this chapter. She is not becoming weak or anything like that. Instead, she is someone who has been betrayed her entire life and has spent her entire life alone and unloved. With those kinds of scars I can't imagine that they wouldn't have some sort of residual effect, and I was trying to address a few of those issues. Thanks for reading, and the next chapter will be up soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Let's take a break. Dad, mom can I have a word?"

"Pete, you too. Good work Chloe." Natasha said, making the blonde smile as she watched her two best friends walk off to the side. They had been up since three a.m. and as Clark and Natasha had predicted, it had not been fun. In fact, it had been brutal, and that was putting it mildly. However, as she watched the sun begin to rise above the Kent farm Chloe knew that it was worth it. She knew that Clark would always protect her, but she liked the idea of being able to protect herself.

"You're holding back." Natasha said as soon as they were out of earshot of the others.

"What are you talking about?" Pete asked, making her glare.

"You're holding back because you don't want to hurt Sullivan. Now I need you to be perfectly honest with me...do you love her?"

"I have for a long time, but what's it matter? She never noticed me...it was always Clark." He replied, and Natasha smiled softly.

"Look, I don't think you need to worry about that anymore. But listen to me...if you love her you cannot hold back."

"If I hurt her-"

"She's doing fine, so I doubt you will. But even if you did, better it happen now then when someone's trying to get you. Because if it happens when someone's trying to get you, and you can't stop them they will take Chloe, and they will torture her in ways that you cannot possibly imagine. They would make you watch as she is abused in the worst possible way, until you are both begging for them to kill her. When they finally did, it would be a relief. Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now, one other thing. Get your head out of your ass, and tell her how you feel. Just wait until we're done okay?"

"Got it, and Natasha...Thanks."

"You're welcome. Now get back to work." She told him, and he nodded before he walked back over to where Chloe was standing. Natasha looked over towards Clark and his parents, and she sighed. It looked like Pete wasn't the only person who needed to be convinced.

"This isn't a game." Clark said as soon as they were out of earshot of the others.

"We know that son." His father spoke up, making Clark laugh coldly.

"Do you, because you're sure not taking this seriously. I could have killed you fifteen different ways without my powers because you refused to fight back."

"You're my son!" Jonathan burst out, and Clark shook his head, grabbing his mothers wrist and shoving her to her knees where he put his gun to her head.

"Right now, I'm not your son. I am the man with a gun to your wife's head. You need to start taking this seriously because one day it won't be me holding the gun. It will be someone who will make you watch as they murder the woman you love most in this world in front of your eyes. If you're lucky they won't make you deal with the body."

"You're asking me to potentially harm the woman I love."

"No because that would imply giving you a choice. There is no choice. This is what has to be done to protect you both."

"He's right you know? It's harsh, but it's the truth." Natasha said as she walked up to them.

"Listen to me dad. I love Natasha more than anything on this earth, but the first three months I knew her were spent with the two of us fighting. I had to repeatedly fight, and win. I had to hold a knife to her throat and make her believe that I would kill her. That was the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but it had to happen. You can't afford to do what Natasha and I do if you aren't willing to make the hard calls. Now if anyone finds out who I am they will use you and mom to get to me. Now I know this is hard, but it has to be done."

"Tell me something Mr. Kent...If I had shown up at your house dressed like I am now and demanded you hand Clark over what would you have done?"

"I would have told you to kill me because that is the only way you would ever take my son from me." Jonathan replied coldly, a steel in his voice that no one present had ever heard before.

"Exactly. You would have tried to kill me."

"No Natasha. I wouldn't have tried to kill you. You would be dead, plain and simple."

"Then prove it. Start taking this seriously. Now let's get back to it." Clark said, putting his gun away and helping his mom up.

"Mom, dad I-"

"Don't apologize Clark. You made a point that needed to be made. Now what's next?" Jonathan asked, and Clark smirked.

"They're doing well." Natasha commented as they drove away from the Kwnt farm, taking to the air as soon as they were out of sight.

"You're right they are." Clark replied, not meeting her eyes.

"Clark, I know this is hard. But you did the right thing."

"I put a gun to my mother's head to make a point."

"You did what you had to. Just like I did what I had to when I taught you."

"What are you talking about? I asked for you to train me."

"But I didn't want to. I agreed so Fury wouldn't order me to do it. You remember the first couple weeks I trained you?" She asked, and he nodded.

"How could I forget? I barely got two hours of sleep a night if that, and even for a guy that dosen't need sleep that's tough. Then there were the endless fights and drills, tactics training until I felt like I was going to pass out. I don't remember hurting so much in my life."

"That was on purpose. I was actually pushing you a lot harder than I had to. I wanted you to quit."

"What changed your mind?" He asked, and she laughed softly.

"You did. I could see how much you were hurting, how much you wanted no needed a rest. But you never asked for one, you never complained. You proved to me that you were here to stay."

"As long as you'll have me." He replied, and she smiled before taking his hand.

"Always."

"So how was London?" Colson asked when the two entered the Bus.

"Interesting. Now I know we have a mission, but we need to talk to Ward. Now." Clark said, and Colson nodded.

"You can use my office."

"The interrogation room would work better." Natasha said, making Colson raise an eyebrow.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" He asked, and the two just looked at him, expressions blank.

"Dammit you two! You want to interrogate one of my team, but you won't tell me why. If we are going to stop the Clairvoyant, we have to trust each other. Now Clark, I have cut you a lot of slack, but now I want answers."

"Fair enough. Do you know the details of our mission to London?" He asked, and Colson nodded. He was one of the few that did, as all of the Black Widow's missions were classified level eight or higher. There were some missions that only she and Fury knew about, but London wasn't one of them.

"I interrogated the target, and he let slip that agent Ward was a double agent. Now before you fly off the handle, I think he can be shown that he's on the wrong side."

"Skye." Colson said, and Clark nodded.

"So you've seen it too."

"It's hard not to. By the way, Barton owes me twenty bucks." He said before walking away.

"He'll be in interrogation room two. Try not to kill him." Colson called over his shoulder.

"I'm kicking Barton's ass next time I see him." Clark muttered, and Natasha chuckled.

"Get in line."

"We know Ward." Clark said without preamble as soon as they walked into the interrogation room.

"You know what?"

"Don't play games. We know that you're a spy for the Clairvoyant." Natasha said quietly from where she stood against the wall.

"If that's true than why aren't I in handcuffs already?"

"You're not in handcuffs because I think that you aren't a bad guy. You've just made some mistakes."

"You don't know anything about me Kent."

"I read your file. Your parents weren't exactly the best, your older brother was always the favorite. Your younger brother died, and you got sent to jail. But then you got out. Someone offered you a chance to join SHIELD or rot in prison. Based on the fact that he was your SO I'm going to assume it was Garret."

"What do you want?"

"What I want is for you to make a choice."

"Oh yeah? And what choice is that?"

"Skye or the Clairvoyant." Natasha said, and Ward glared, but didn't say anything.

"I've seen the way you look at her Ward. You love her, don't you?" Clark asked, and Ward sighed.

"What's it matter?"

"It matters, because as much as I would like for you to just tell me what you know voluntarilly we all know that isn't going to happen unless you have something to lose. So here's how this is going to work...you are going to tell us everything you know about the Clairvoyant and then you are going to go tell Skye how you feel. Then as far as we're concerned you were never a traitor."

"Or, you could refuse and I will tell Skye exactly what kind of man you are. Then I will make you watch as I put a gun to her head and kill her." Natasha said, making Ward lunge forward.

"Don't even think about it." Clark said, placing his gun to Ward's throat.

"You touch her, and I'll kill you." Ward snarled, and the other two just looked at him.

"So, let's talk. What do you know about the Clairvoyant?" Natasha asked, and Ward just sighed before he spoke.

"Not much. Garret recruited me, and last year he told me of a secret group within SHIELD, one that took it's orders from someone or something known only as the Clairvoyant."

"So Garret's not the Clairvoyant?" Clark asked, and Ward shook his head.

"No, he's just a soldier. I don't even think he knows who he takes his orders from."

"And this secret organization within SHIELD, did it have a name?"

"He never said, said I didn't need to know."

"And what has he been wanting you to do?" Natasha asked.

"Just pass on information as to what we've been doing, but there's something else...he knew that you were coming Clark. He knew that you were going to be recruited to join SHIELD."

"You know what that means." Clark said, and the other two nodded.

"It means that whoever this Clairvoyant is, it can only be one of six people... and one of them is the Director of SHIELD." Natasha muttered, voicing what they all feared. If Nick Fury or one of his inner circle was dirty, then they were all already dead.

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and the next chapter will be up soon!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"How do we handle this? I mean we can't just walk up to the Director of SHIELD and ask if he's dirty." Colson said, although he could tell that Natasha and Ward wanted to do just that. Come to think of it, they probably wanted him to lie so they could beat it out of him.

"Ward, did Garret ever tell you what the Clairvoyant wants with me?" Clark asked calmly. He knew he needed to take their minds off of Fury's possible betrayal, otherwise they wouldn't be able to focus. Fury was the closest thing Natasha had to a father, and he had been Colson's SO when he first joined. The Last Son of Krypton knew that the thought of Fury being a traitor was something neither of them wanted to believe was possible, and if he was honest, Clark didn't either. Fury may not be the nicest man on Earth, but he had done right by Clark ever since he joined SHIELD even going so far as to allow his best agent to teach the young man trade craft. No, the thought of Nick Fury being a traitor wasn't possible, it just couldn't be.

"He said something about you being key to the success of the plan. So what they want with you, I don't know but you can guarantee that Garret won't stop until he gets you."

"Then it's simple. We give him what he wants."

"NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Natasha yelled, looking more furious than anyone there had ever seen her. However, Clark just looked back at her, and when he spoke his voice was calm a distinct contrast to the woman he loved.

"Colson, Ward can you give me a minute alone with Agent Romanoff?" He asked, and the two nodded walking out of Colson's office and leaving the other two SHIELD agents alone.

"Natasha, look at me." Clark said softly, but she just ignored him looking at the wall. Clark just sighed, knowing that the next few minutes were not going to be pleasant.

"Natasha-"

"Why? Why did you lie to me?"

"What are you talking about? I have never lied to you." He replied, but she laughed coldly.

"Yes you did. You lied when you told me you loved me."

With that she shoved past him, the young man too shocked to do anything but watch the love of his life walk out the door. He only hoped that she hadn't walked out of his life for good because he knew that was the one thing that could hurt him a hundred more times than kryptonite. And the worst part was, he knew that it would be all his fault.

"Do you want to talk?"

Natasha turned, surprised to see Skye behind her. Of all the people she would have expected the computer hacker would not of even made the list.

"Even if I did I couldn't."

"Oh right, the Black Widow dosen't spill classified intel, and I'm not even a SHIELD agent so I'm the last person on your list."

"Wrong. You didn't even make the list. Natasha Romanoff." She said, shaking Skye's hand. She wasn't sure why she was talking to the younger girl. She didn't even know her, but Natasha supposed that was what she needed right now. Someone out of the loop, someone who could give her a fresh perspective.

"Skye. Now let me guess...trouble in paradise?" She asked, and Natasha nodded sadly.

"You could say that. He claims he loves me and then-"

"He decides to hand himself over to the Clairvoyant." She finished, making Natasha glare.

"How do you know about that?"

"Honest truth? Clark told me that the messanger guy, Pierce knew who he was. He asked me to work with Chloe to try and see if we could find out just what was going on, maybe find some clue as to who the Clairvoyant is."

"And?"

"And nothing. This Clairvoyant may as well be a ghost." She replied, and Natasha nodded, not bothering to tell the younger woman that they had actually narrowed the Clairvoyant down to six people. She just walked off, barely hearing the computer hacker and former Rising Tide agent speak.

"Hey, I thought you wanted to talk?"

Oh Natasha wanted to talk alright, but not to Skye. No she needed to talk to Clark, and find out just what the hell was going on.

"My office. Now."

Clark looked up from where he was cleaning his gun to see Natasha standing in front of him, her face a mask, concealing the emotions that he knew surfaced underneath. In that moment, Clark didn't see the woman he loved anymore. He didn't even see Natasha. No, he saw the Black Widow, and he hated it. He hated that he was forced to see the face that she showed to the rest of the world because that just confirmed his worst fear. He had lost the love of his life, and his best friend and there was nothing he could do about it. He just nodded, placing his gun back in it's holster and walking down the hall, not bothering to tell Natasha that she technicaly didn't have an office on board the Bus. Instead he just followed her, not saying a word even when she came to a stop in his office. She shut the door behind her without a word, and Clark just stood there waiting for her to speak.

"You lying bastard. I trusted you, told you intel that could have gotten me killed, told you things I have never told anyone...I loved you, and then I find out that you have been keeping secrets from me."

"Past tense noted. Now what are you talking about Agent Romanoff?" Clark asked, the title passing his lips making him feel as though someone had injected liquid kryptonite into his veins. They had never had to worry about titles before, but he supposed that he had to get used to it, he may as well start now.

"We agreed that the intel about Pierce and the Clairvoyant was to remain under wraps. I just had an interesting discussion with Skye, who might I remind you is not an agent, who told me that you told her about Alexander Pierce knowing your name. More to the point, you had her work with Chloe, who you told Fury was off limits to try and find out who the Clairvoyant was!"

"Your point?"

"My point is that you committed treason by sharing classified intel with two civilians! My point is that you lied! You lied to Fury, you lied to Colson, you lied to me! I thought you trusted me, I thought you loved me! I thought you were the one person who I could count on, the one person who would never betray me."

"You're right. You're absolutely right. I didn't tell you about Skye and Chloe because I was trying to keep you safe. After all, you can't talk about what you don't know."

"Please don't stand there and expect me to buy that line of crap Clark."

"Do you honestly think that I'm lying to you? I'm trying to protect you Natasha. Do you have any idea what could happen if the Clairvoyant found out what Skye and Chloe were doing and somehow discovered that you were aware of it?"

"I can handle myself. You should know that."

"But you're not invincible! You can die Natasha, and if you died...if you died it would kill me, don't you understand that? I can't live without you Natasha."  
>"Don't you think I feel the same way? Do you have any idea what your little stunt in Colson's office did to me?! I love you Clark, but I can't let you turn yourself over to those monsters. Please promise me that we will find another way. If I lost you..." Her voice trailed off, but the pain was clear in her eyes. Clark had saved her in more ways than he would ever know. He had saved her soul and if he died, she knew that Natasha Romanoff would die with him. All that would be left was the Black Widow, someone consumed by veangance and death, and if Natasha was honest that scared her. She remembered what she had been like before she met Clark, and she didn't want to go back to that person again. Because the Black Widow wasn't really a person, she was a ruthless killing machine who only cared about the next kill, someone who was forever doomed to be alone.<p>

"Shh Tasha, it's okay. We'll find another way. To be honest, I don't like the idea of having to listen to Garret drone on and on about the Clairvoyant. Plus he'd probably dissect me while he did it, and I have a thing about needles." He told her, and she chuckled.

"The most powerful man in the world is afraid of needles." She said, and Clark glared at her.

"Hey, it's a valid fear when you're not exactly from around here. It used to be my worst fear, until I met you."

"And now? What are you afraid of?"

"Losing you. Please tell me that I haven't lost you Tasha. Please tell me that I haven't betrayed you to the point where-"

He found his words cut off as she placed a finger to his lips.

"No Clark, I should be the one asking you that. You were just trying to protect me."

"But you're my partner, I should have been straight with you from the beginning as opposed to not telling you. Besides, I know better than anyone that you can handle yourself."

"So we're agreed then...no more secrets?"

"No more secrets." He replied, before kissing her softly. For a moment the two just stood there, relishing in the feeling of the other person in their arms. However, all too soon the moment ended as they heard a knock on the office door.

"This had better be good." Natasha muttered, and Clark nodded before walking over and opening the door.

"What?" He asked, as soon as the door flew open.

"Well hello to you too Agent Kent."

"Director Fury. What are you doing here?"

"Colson called, said we needed to talk."

"You're right we do. Come in and sit down." He said, and Fury raised his one visible eyebrow but did as he asked.

"You'll forgive me if I have Natasha take your gun." He said, and Fury just handed the weapon over without a word.

"You think I'm the Clairvoyant don't you? Or you think I know who it is. Whatever your double agent told you made you think it could be me."

"Are you?" Natasha asked calmly.

"No. If you think I'm lying than shoot me."

"I don't think that will be neccesary. He's not lying." Clark said, and Natasha handed the SHIELD Director his weapon.

"How can you be sure?" He asked, and Clark smirked.

"No matter how good a liar you are, the human heart always speeds up when someone's lying."

"So now that that's settled how about we get down to business. Your double agent, who was it?"

"Agent Ward. He was recruited out of juvie by Garret, and Garret told him that he was joining a secret organization within SHIELD. He didn't give Ward a name."

"Just great." Fury muttered.

"I hate to interrupt, but you all need to see this." Colson said, and the others followed him over to the briefing room where May and Skye were waiting.

"Well, well if it isn't Garret. You've got a lot of people looking for you." Ward said as they looked at the screen, Garret's face looking back at them.

"You know son, I'm disappointed in you. I thought you understood that what we were doing was necessary, that we were going to have a chance to be something bigger."

"A part of something bigger. You all did here that right? A part of something bigger." Fury said, and the others nodded.

"Nick you just don't have the vision for what we're going to impliment."

"Really, cause it sounds to me like what you want to impliment is the same messed up plan that every other two bit dictator's wanted to." He replied, and Garret sighed.

"You just don't understand." He said, only to be cut off by another voice.

"It matters not. Nick Fury has never been the one we have needed to convince."

"Hello Natalia."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please read and review and the next chapter will be up soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Hello Natalia."

The minute he heard the man's voice, Clark knew who this was. This was the man who had put the woman he loved most in the world through hell, who had blown her cover and left her to suffer the worst kind of torture. This was the monster that she had thought long dead, the one who haunted her nightmares.

"Well...Nothing to say to your husband?"

"You...You're supposed to be dead." She finally replied. Natasha heard her voice quaver and cursed herself. She wasn't a child anymore, he shouldn't affect her like this. However, when she saw his cold eyes looking back at her it was like she was back in Russia, back in her own personal hell where this man was the devil.

"Oh you sound disappointed. You should know better than that. I did teach you to be a survivor after all. Now it is time for you to do your duty to your country. A plane shall be arriving at your location momentarily at which time you and my new protege shall board. Then we shall take what is left of SHIELD and restore Mother Russia to her former glory."

For a moment there was silence as the remaining SHIELD agents looked from Natasha to the man on the screen. Then Clark walked over to Natasha, their eyes meeting before she spoke.

"Regimes rise and fall every day. I'm Russian or at least I was, so I tend not to weep over them. I promise you I won't weep when I put a bullet between your eyes Alexei."

"What a shame that this child has corrupted you Natalia. Do me a favor and execute the contingency plan would you my dear?"

"It's already done." Agent May replied before shooting Director Fury in the stomach, just as the plane's engine's began to fail.

"I should kill you." Colson said, and May laughed.

"Your choice...kill me or save everyone on this plane."

With that she ran off, Clark feeling Natasha's hand on his arm a moment before he ran after her.

"Let her go. We have to find some way to make sure we don't all die." She said, and he nodded, disappearing in a blur.

"Grab all the medical supplies we can and get everybody in the car. She blew out two of our engine's...and Colson, she took Lola." Clark said a minute later as he came back, ignoring the awestruck looks on Ward's, Fitz and Simmons faces.

"She's so dead." Colson muttered before he ran over and helped Ward carry the Director to Tasha, placing him in the backseat before jumping in with Ward, Skye, Fitz and Simmons taking seats where they could find them.

"Crap she jammed the doors." Natasha yelled from where she sat in the front seat seeing the doors sealed shut.

"As soon as those doors open, you take off. Don't stop for anything do you hear me?" Clark told her.

"Clark-"

"I love you." He said, cutting her off before racing over to the door. He gripped the doors and pushed hard, feeling them give way inch by inch. He gave one final shove and the doors flew open, sending the Last Son of Krypton flying off the plane.

Natasha bit back a scream and drove off the plane, seeing it hurtling towards the ground miles below. However, of Clark Kent there was no sign.

"Clark." She whispered softly.

"Someone mention my name?" A voice asked from beside her.

"Clark how-"

"Turns out I can fly. Who knew?" He replied with a laugh.

"Okay like the man said...Lucy you got some splaining to do." Ward said, and Clark laughed.

"Later. Right now, we've got to get someplace safe." He replied before pulling out his phone.

"Pete, it's me. It's time. I'll contact you when I can."

"You saw this coming." Natasha said, but Clark shook his head.

"No, but like you taught me...plan for the worst case scenario. This is it. With Garret and the Clairvoyant compromising SHIELD we'll be the most wanted people on the planet by the end of the day."

"Which means we can't be seen together." Fury said as he struggled to sit up.

"How you feeling boss?" Ward asked, and Fury chuckled.

"I've had worse. Now set us down somewhere Romanoff. We need to disappear."

"So where to now?" Clark asked thirty minutes later as he and Natasha walked down a New York street. The team had split in all directions, with Ward and Skye going one way, Fitz and Simmons going another and Colson and Fury going their own way. The rule was simple; no contact, no credit cards, nothing that could tie them to their old lives.

"Now we find a clean car and a place to lay low." She replied, and he nodded.

"I could-"

"No. You use your powers and they will be all over us. I know how that bastard thinks, and he will have planned for this."

They walked in silence for a minute before Clark held up his hand for her to stop. Across the street was a nondescript gray four door.

"I think I found our ride."

Two minutes later they were on the road heading down the side streets out of the city.

"Go ahead."

"Go ahead and what?" Clark replied, making Natasha scowl.

"Go ahead and ask your questions."

"Okay...can I kill him?"

"You don't even know him."

"I know he hurt you. I don't care about details, I know all I need to." He replied, and she smiled softly.

"Sorry, but he's mine."

"No, no...please...please let him go."

"Natasha, Natasha wake up!" Clark said, shaking her awake.

"Clark?"

"Yeah, Tasha you were having a nightmare."

"No kidding. Where are we?" She asked, seeing them stopping in front of a house.

"Somewhere safe." He replied, getting out of the car and opening the trunk. He grabbed two duffel bags and threw them over his shoulder, taking Natasha's hand before they walked to the house.

"When did you get this?" Natasha asked, and Clark chuckled.

"I didn't. Jordan Fredericks did. It's an alias Ziva set up for me just in case I had to run. She and I were the only ones who knew about it so I'm confident that it hasn't been flagged. We should be okay for a couple days at least. I'm sorry I didn't tell you-"

"It's fine. There wasn't really time. Now where are we?"

"Just outside Denver. Is that okay?"

"It's perfect." She replied, and he chuckled. They both knew it wasn't perfect, not by a long shot. They were still being hunted, and they were low on resources, but they were together and for the night at least they were safe. For now, that was enough.

"His name was Alexei Statstakov. He was my advanced weapons and tactics instructor during my training. I was part of a program called the Red Room, the Russian answer to Captain America. I excelled at everything they asked me to do and became his favorite. If I didn't excel I got beat...badly. Eventually, I became his partner and-"

"His wife." Clark cut her off, and she nodded though he couldn't see it from where her head lay on his chest.

"It wasn't until later that I learned that everything I went through was on his orders. He was the one that blew my cover, he was the one who ordered the other instructors to beat me whenever I failed. Then the bastard had the nerve to comfort me!"

"After the op that blew my cover, he told me had dealt with the people who harmed me. A couple years later I was ordered to eliminate a rogue agent who was deemed too extreme even for the KGB. Alexei was that agent. When I caught up to him, he offered me a chance to join him. I refused, and he told me I was a cold woman, unable to do what was necessary. Then he told me the truth. He smiled and told me that everything I had gone through was on his orders, that he had paid off the men who...abused me. I put four in his chest and set the place on fire before leaving him to burn." She finished softly.

Clark just held her, not saying a word.

"I...I thought I killed him, that the only place I would have to see him was in my nightmares. Now-"

"Now nothing. As far as I'm concerned he's not your problem. You say the word and we disappear to some tropical island where the only thing we have to worry about is a possible sunburn. You have given your entire life to people who wanted a killer. You don't need to give them anything else."

"You would do that? You would run with me even if it meant never seeing your family again, never going home?"

"You're my family Natasha. My home is wherever you are."

He got up and stood beside the bed before pulling a box from his pocket and getting down on one knee, opening the box to reveal a diamond ring.

"Natasha, I wish I could go back in time and stop that animal from ever being born but I can't. What I can do is promise that I will spend every single day of my life showing you how much I love you. Will you marry me?"

"Yes." She replied, and Clark smiled as he placed the ring on the third finger of her left hand.

"So...a tropical island?" She asked a minute later and he nodded.

"Wherever you want."

"I'm afraid the tropical island's going to have to wait. As much as I would like nothing better than to spend the rest of our days not having to fight a war, we both know that we would always be looking over our shoulders. That's no way to live. Your family dosen't deserve that." She said, and he nodded, knowing that she was right but hating it nonetheless.

"Our family." He corrected, and she smiled.

"Our family." She replied before kissing him.

"Tasha, you're going to want to take a look at this." Clark said as she woke up the next morning. For a moment his mind drifted back to the previous night and he smiled. Last night had been without a doubt the best night of his life. Natasha smiled in return, knowing what was going through his mind. She kissed him softly before looking at the television where CNN had just announced that a special task force had been assembled to hunt down rogue federal agents, and that the head of this task force was a confidential special consultant.

"Three guesses who it is, and the first two don't count." Natasha said.

"Do you have some way to contact Fury? We need to make a plan."

"I'll take care of it."

"No one was followed?" Clark asked a few hours later as he looked around at the assorted SHIELD agents sitting in the room. Fury had shown up with Colson, Ward, Skye, Hill, FitzSimmons, an agent named Triplet, and to Clark's surprise Steve Rodgers, better known as Captain America. Barton had shown up a few minutes later with his girlfriend and fellow SHIELD agent Bobbi Morris aka Mockingbird and Pete, Chloe and his parents had arrived a few minutes after that.

Everyone shook their heads, and Clark nodded once, grateful that their safety hadn't been compromised.

"Okay, so first things first...Director, you informed everyone about Statstokhov?" He asked, and Fury nodded.

"Good, so there's no need to debrief anyone. Now I know I don't need to say this, but I'm going to anyway. We are now the most wanted group of people on the planet. So when we strike there can be no hesitation, no screw ups. This has to be done perfectly."

"I'm assuming you have a plan?" Colson asked, and Clark smirked.

"Something like that, but we'll get to that in a minute. Right now we need to talk about what happens once this is done."

"You mean what happens to SHIELD." Fury surmised.

"We burn it to the ground." Steve spoke up, making Fury glare.

"Captain-"

"No Nick, he's right. Whatever SHIELD was it's been contaminated by Statstokhov. If you want to start again once we've finished this, then that's your prerogative."

"What are you saying Agent Kent?"

"What my fiancee is saying is that as soon as Alexei Stostakhov is dead, we're done. We've fought this war long enough." Natasha replied simply, making the others raise their eyebrows before Barton handed Colson forty dollars.

"What? It was kind of obvious." Colson said, making Clark and Natasha laugh.

"So, any idea what you want for a wedding present?" Clint asked, and Natasha smirked.

"Alexei Stostakhov's head on a platter."

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please read and review and the next chapter will be up soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh, I don't know Nat he looks plenty serious to me." Clint said, making Clark shoot the archer a look that clearly said he was not helping. However, Clint just smirked before leaning back in his chair as if he was waiting to watch a particularly entertaining show. Or in this case he just wanted to see someone else get on the Black Widow's bad side.

"Look before you get angry with me, step back and look at this objectively. For Alexei, this will be a challenge he can't refuse. In his mind, I took you from him. If he gets rid of me, then he's gotten rid of the competition, the only thing standing between him getting you back."

"He's a delusional mad man."

"Well yes, we know that. But he doesn't. He will jump at the chance to kill me, and in the process he will make a mistake. One we will capitalize on so that we can kill this son of a bitch once and for all."

Natasha looked at him for a minute, saying nothing, but everyone could see the struggle in her eyes. The Black Widow could see that this was the best possible plan, but the other side, the side that didn't want to go back to being the emotionless assassin only saw the man she loved most in the world being placed in a confrontation against one of the most dangerous men in the world. Not that Clark wasn't a dangerous man in his own right, but this was one fight that Natasha was unsure that he could win, especially if Alexei knew about his powers.

"Just one major flaw in the plan Clark...what if this nut job knows about your gifts?" Pete asked, giving voice to Natasha's fear. If Alexei knew about Clark's powers, than it was likely that he also knew how to kill him and if that was true than Clark was already dead.

"I've got that covered. Dr. Swan gave me a little trinket that can cut off my powers."

"So let me get this straight...you want to fight the man responsible for teaching Nat advanced weapons and tactics, but you want to do it with a handicap?"

"No Clint. What I want is for that animal to roll over and die, but that's not going to happen so he has to be put down. Now if one of you has a better idea that dosen't involve Natasha pretending to go along with him I would love to hear it. Otherwise, this is what we have to do." He said, waiting a minute to see if someone would speak. When no one did, the Last Son of Krypton just nodded and walked out of the room.

"I'll talk to him." Steve said, getting up and following the younger man.

"Come to talk me out of this Captain?" Clark asked without turning around.

"You know, there's an old saying...before setting out to get revenge, first dig two graves. One for your enemy and one for yourself."

"What's your point?" Clark asked, still not turning around.

"My point is, is getting payback worth leaving Natasha a widow?"

"If it means that she and the rest of my family are safe, if it means that they don't have to spend the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders or living scared that every day will be their last then yes...it is worth it. Then again, I don't really need to explain that to you do I?"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning I don't think you enlisted because you wanted to kill Nazis. I don't think you wanted to kill anyone. I think you just wanted to protect America. So please do not stand there, and ask me to do anything less."

"Take a break Cap, I've got this." Natasha said, and Steve nodded before walking out, leaving the two alone.

"Don't try to talk me out of this Tasha."

"Why are you so dead set-"

"Because I can't lose you! I can't lose you to him, not for a second. Because hell will freeze over before I allow that animal to lay a hand on you ever again. I know you can handle yourself but-"

"I know. Just promise me that you will win."

"I promise."

"I mean it Clark. Nothing flashy, no games, no torturing the monster to defend my honor. You strike first, you strike hard, and you make damn sure that he dosen't get back up. I'll back you up, but make sure you come back alive. I would rather him get away than have to bury you."

"I know. Now, do you have a way to contact him?" He asked, and she nodded, fishing a cell phone out of her pocket.

"There's a private number he would give me to use in case I ever had to run. Hopefully he'll still be checking it."

"Well I have to admit Natalia, I wasn't expecting your call." Alexei said, answering the phone on the first ring.

"No? Well how about mine?" Clark asked.

"Kent. I will give you and yours one chance to walk away. Hand over my wife-"

"Not gonna happen. My fiancee is not an object to be bartered with. Now I would offer you a chance to surrender, but we both know that isn't going to happen. So here's what's going to happen. You and I are going to settle this once and for all. None of your thugs, and none of my team. Just us."

"Now why would I do that when I could just hunt you down at my leisure?"

"Your ego won't allow for anything less. Now unless you're even more of a coward than I know you are, you'll tell me where you are so I can come and kill you. Otherwise, you'll make me waste precious time hunting you down like the dog you are."

"My wife can get you here. She should remember the place well, given that it's where she learned her place. However, if I even think there is anyone else with you then I will make sure you live just long enough to regret it. I'll see you soon."

With that he hung up, Clark crushing the phone in his hand due to his anger at the way the Russian talked about Natasha. However, his anger faded when he turned and saw Natasha frozen in place. She was looking at the wall, but he could tell she wasn't really seeing it.

"Natasha.."

"Moscow...it's about five miles outside of Moscow. That's where..." She trailed off, but Clark knew what she meant. That was where Alexei had blown her cover and let her be abused and assaulted.

"You don' have to go Natasha. I can go kill him and I'll be back before lunch." He said, trying to ease her fears.

"No. I need to do this. I need to beat this once and for all."

"Are you sure you can do this?" He asked, making it clear that it was her call. Clark knew Natasha was scared, but he also knew that she wasn't stupid. If she couldn't handle going back to that house of horrors then she would tell him. She would never let the mission be compromised because she doubted herself.

"Yes. I've run from this long enough." She replied, and he nodded once.

"Then check your gun, and let's go kill your ex."

"With pleasure."

"So what's the layout on this place?" Clark asked as he set her down about a half mile from where Natasha had told him to go. He was being detached and professional, even if what he really wanted to do was say forget about a plan and go in there powers and all. If he did that both he and Natasha would probably end up dead. So instead he put the blue kryptonite ring Dr. Swan had given him on his finger while he waited for Natasha to speak. When she did she was monotone, cold, uncompromising. The Black Widow.

"A compound with two exits, one from the north and another from the south. Usually it was manned by six men, all heavily trained in weapons and tactics. No windows, only one story high so there were never any stairs. There was an armory as soon as you entered where extra weapons were kept, and a medical office midway between the exits stocked with minimal supplies...just enough to take the edge off the pain."

"Okay then. You go south, I go north and we meet in the middle." He said and she nodded before the two began walking toward the compound.

"Stay safe." She said when they arrived at the point where they were to separate.

"You too. I love you." He said, and she kissed him.

"I love you too. Now let's get this done."

Clark's first glimpse of the compound confirmed what Natasha had said, although it seemed that her original estimation on the number of guards was off. Clark counted three guards at the north entrance with another two on either opposite side of the building. Instead of six guards in total there were at least five on each side, and that was just from what Clark could determine. For all he knew there could be more inside.

However, one thing at a time. First the five at the front.

He moved silently, coming up on the lone guard on the left side. Wrapping his arm around the man's throat while using the other to stifle the man's scream, the Last Son of Krypton snapped his neck. He laid the body on the ground, searching the man and finding a gun on him, which he placed in the waistband of his jeans before walking around the building.

Coming around to the right side he shot the guard right between the eyes before he could utter a sound. Now all that were left were the three at the entrance. He walked over to them, dropping two of the men with bullets to the head.

However, just as he was going to dispatch the last man he fell forward, revealing Natasha standing behind him.

"I had him." He told her.

"Sure you did."

The two slowly made their way into the building, weapons drawn both alert for even the smallest sign of movement. They advanced through the compound, but encountered no one. Clark was about to ask Natasha if she had the right location when they came upon a locked door. Natasha promptly kicked it down, revealing the man who had caused her such pain. However, as she saw who stood beside him she felt her knees go weak. It couldn't be...

Then the person uttered one word.

"Mom?"

Clark's eyes widened as he heard the girl's words. However, as he looked from the girl to Natasha he knew it was true. The girl looked to be about thirteen years old, with the same green eyes and red hair as her mother.

"I...I thought you were dead. He told me you were dead."

"No Sasha, I'm very much alive. Now I need you to listen to me very carefully. This is my friend Clark. I need you to go with him, he's going to get you out of here."

"She goes nowhere. She has a duty to Russia as do you." Alexei spoke up. Natasha opened her mouth to speak, but Clark beat her to it looking more angry than Natasha had ever seen him.

"You take a child from her mother and try and turn her into a killing machine, and then you try and use her as a bargaining chip. This is something I cannot and will not allow. May God have mercy on your soul." He said, looking towards Sasha.

The girl dropped to the floor just as Natasha's gun went off, a bullet lodging into Alexei's skull. Finally after so many years the monster who had haunted Natasha Romanoff's nightmares, who had caused her so much pain, who had taken her daughter from her was dead.

An instant later Natasha had embraced her daughter, tears flowing freely down both their cheeks.

"Can we leave...please?" Sasha asked a moment later, and Natasha smiled.

"Yes we can leave. We just need to find-"

"Ah hem." Clark said, cutting her off with a smirk.

"I think I can handle transportation Tasha."

"Are you sure?"

"Sasha's your daughter, that's good enough." He told her and she smiled before kissing him.

"A friend, huh mom?" Sasha asked, and Natasha blushed while Clark laughed.

"Now, let's get out of here." Clark said before picking Natasha up with one hand and doing the same to Sasha with his other.

"Mom, what's going on?"

"Clark's a very special man sweetheart. He can do things that other people can't."

"What kind of things?"

"Hang on, and find out." Clark told her before racing away, coming to a stop a moment later inside the house in Denver.

"How did we get here?"

"I'm pretty fast when I want to be." He said setting both women on their feet.

"Sasha, there's food and drinks in the kitchen. Can you-"

"Sure thing mom." She replied before walking into the kitchen. She wanted nothing more than to stay with her mother, but she could also see that her mother and Clark needed to talk.

"Look Clark, I know we agreed to no more secrets but, I..I thought she was dead."

"You don't need to explain Natasha. I'm just glad you have your daughter back." He said before embracing her. He didn't know the whys or the hows and frankly he didn't care. Natasha was happy, and that was all that mattered.

"The last time I saw her was just before I went to go kill Alexei. I should have been more careful, but his people got to her. He told me she was dead just before I shot him. He must have put her in stasis like I was, until he was ready to come back. He was going to use her in a new Red Room program."

"Well that isn't going to happen now, and if anyone else tries...well there's a reason we're two of SHIELDS best."

"Clark, I can't ask you to-"

"You didn't ask. I love you Natasha, and that's never going to change. However, it might be easier if we put our engagement on hold. You should spend time with your daughter. When and if you decide that you want to-"

"Thank you, but I don't want to put our engagement on hold. Sasha is important to me, but so are you. She'll just have to get used to the fact that there's someone special in my life."

"Are you-"

"Yes I'm sure." She said, just as her phone rang.

"It's Fury." She said, and he nodded before walking into the kitchen and allowing her to take the call.

"Do you want a coffee?" Sasha asked.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"So, is this as awkward for you as it is for me?" Sasha asked, and Clark laughed.

"It's not that awkward to be honest. Compared to some of the things I've seen this is downright normal."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Sasha asked with a smile.

"Because your mother is one of the most dangerous women in the world." He replied, and she laughed.

"That must be it. Speaking of, I need to ask...do you love her?"

"I do." He replied, and she nodded.

"Good. Then I don't need to tell you that if you ever do to her what my sorry excuse for a father did to her, I will end you."

"If I ever do, I'll load the gun myself." He replied, and she nodded.

"So tell me, how did you and my mother meet?"

"I bought him a drugged drink and then kidnapped him." Natasha said, and the other two laughed.

"So, what did Fury want?"

"To tell us that he and the others have taken care of what's left of the infected SHIELD."

"Good, then we're done. We're officially free."

"Not exactly." Natasha replied.

**Three Weeks Later-Closed Senate Hearing**

"In light of recent events, many are wondering why you are even here as opposed to a jail cell." The senator said, making Clark laugh.

"Something funny Mr. Kent?"

"Actually yes. What I find funny is that we are being questioned by you and your colleagues, given that you are the members of the World Security Council. You were supposed to watch SHIELD, make sure that something like the Clairvoyant never happened in the first place. You failed. Now, unless you want all your dirty laundry made public you will allow us to go and live the rest of our lives in peace."

"Very well, but the girl-"

"You are not going anywhere near my daughter. If you do, I will end you." He said, cutting the man off. He realized that his words were true. In the short time he had known her, he had come to look at Sasha as his own daughter, and hell would freeze over before he would let anything happen to her.

"Very well, but if your services are required-"

"I'll leave my card with your assistant." He replied before turning to Natasha and Sasha both of whom were smiling.

"Let's go home."

As he walked outside the building with his new wife and daughter beside him, Clark couldn't help but smile. He had never expected his life to turn out this well when he first became an Agent of SHIELD.

**A/N: I hope you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Clark Kent Agent of SHIELD will return in Multiverse! Coming in 2015!**


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